Kvartalsrapport Q4 2023

Materials, residuals, and waste
Efficient resource utilisation and the establishment of circular material flows are pivotal for society to thrive within its 
planetary boundaries. There is also a growing emphasis from consumers, legislators, organisations, and financial 
institutions on raw materials, material flows, and waste reduction. Stora Enso is committed to waste reduction at all stages 
of production. The commitment encompasses the optimisation of both environmental and financial value by efficiently 
utilising side streams and residues generated during production processes.
Progress
Stora Enso works to reuse and recycle materials, minimise waste, 
and maximise the value of material streams by creating circular 
material flows in its value chain. At the same time, Stora Enso 
aims to reduce its own process waste to landfill to as close to zero 
as is legally, technically, and commercially possible. In 2023, 96% 
of the total process material use was renewable. 
During 2023, Stora Enso continued to drive the development of 
lignin-based products, focusing on binders for construction and 
anode materials for batteries. Lignin is an example of where 
a short-lived energy product’s lifecycle can be extended to 
medium or long term. The pilot facility for hard, carbon-based 
battery material continues to operate at the Sunila site in Finland, 
and a feasibility study for lignin extraction was initiated in 2023 at 
the Skutskär pulp production site in Sweden. 
Stora Enso continuously explores innovative ways to leverage 
refined wastewater residues in the creation of new products, 
thereby enhancing circularity. As an example, the Skoghall site in 
Sweden and the Heinola site in Finland have partnered with 
the Sweden’s University of Karlstad and other stakeholders in 
the materials value chain to explore the production of bio-based 
products. This includes using biosludge as a significant resource for 
bioplastics and biogas. In Finland, at the Anjala and Imatra sites, 
a portion of wastewater treatment plant sludge is repurposed as soil 
enhancer instead of being used for energy generation.
Stora Enso focuses on extracting value from waste to enhance 
soil quality and water protection. The Skoghall site and Stora Enso 
Forest continued their participation in an external research 
programme to explore the use of a mix of carbonated sludge and 
biofuel boiler ash as a soil enhancer in the Group’s Swedish 
forests. These soil enhancers offer renewable sources of nutrients, 
replacing industrially manufactured, energy-intensive nitrogen and 
phosphorus fertilisers that deplete scarce natural resources. 
Simultaneously, they aid in mitigating agricultural nutrient emissions 
into bodies of water by enhancing the soil's capacity to retain both 
water and nutrients, while promoting carbon sequestration in fields 
through improved growth conditions.
To further drive operational circularity, the Enocell pulp 
production site in Finland delivers lime kiln dust as agriculture 
fertiliser and ash to be spread on forest land. This serves to 
compensate for nutrient removal from biomass extraction, ensuring 
long-term production capacity and preventing soil acidification.
Additionally, the Skoghall site and the Group’s forest nursery in 
Sjögränd, Sweden, continued their collaboration to explore how 
the growth of pine and spruce plants can be enhanced by using 
pellets based on nutrients and ash. This has the potential to 
replace peat with sludge as a growth medium for plants.  
Ways of working
Stora Enso applies precautionary management actions to mitigate 
and remedy potential adverse impacts on the environment and 
people. Its environmental management systems include on-site 
management procedures for handling chemicals, waste, residuals, 
and emissions into the air. Local environmental stewardship at 
the sites, including water and energy management and resource 
efficiency, is supported by third-party ISO 14001-certified 
environmental management system. This ensures continuous 
improvements in the most highly prioritised environmental issues, 
including remediation when necessary. All sawmills, board, pulp, 
and paper industrial sites are certified to the ISO 14001 
environmental management system. The majority of the corrugated 
production units are also certified. Of the corrugated units which 
were acquired in 2023, Heidelberg, St. Ingbert, and  Sausenheim 
located in Germany, are certified. Third-party certification work for 
the other units, and the formed fiber plant in Hylte, Sweden, will 
begin in 2024. Read more about the Group’s approach in 
the Environmental Guidelines. For Stora Enso’s environmental 
investments and liabilities, see Financials.
Stora Enso collaborates with selected external partners from 
academia, business associations, and corporations to reduce, 
reuse, and recycle materials and resources in production and 
residuals management. External partnerships include, among 
others, involvement in the Swedish Energiforsk’s Ash program to 
support decision-makers in improving resource management in 
society, particularly through the beneficial use of ashes.
12
Targets and performance
Maintain a process residuals utilisation 
rate of minimum 98%
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 2023 2022 2021
Process residuals utilisation rate (%)  9 9  % 9 9  % 9 8  %
Achieved – stable performance with a high utilisation 
rate of process residuals.
Key actions to drive performance
• Reuse and recycling of materials to minimise waste 
and to ensure efficient use of resources
• Maximising the value of materials streams through 
circular material flows
• Converting material side-streams, such as lignin, 
to new circular products
• Partnering across the value chain for the beneficial 
use of process residuals
For a full set of performance indicators and accounting 
principles, see the Consolidated sustainability figures.
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
46Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 47 =====

Energy 
In 2023, the significance of ensuring energy supply security and expediting the shift towards green energy remained 
paramount. With access to renewable biomass and fossil-free electricity, Stora Enso is well-positioned to contribute to 
the green transition and to a low-carbon economy. The Group applies the principle of the cascading use of wood, ensuring 
that all parts of harvested trees, forestry residuals, and industrial side streams are used in the most economically and 
environmentally valuable way, before being used as energy. 
Progress
Energy efficiency is an integral part of Stora Enso’s Carbon 
Neutrality roadmap. The Group’s production units work 
systematically to improve energy efficiency, supported by 
the third-party certified ISO 50001 energy management system. 
By the end of 2023, 91% of the Group’s energy consumption was 
certified to the ISO 50001 standard (97% in 2022). For information 
on unit-specific certificates, see Sustainability data by unit. 
The central energy and water efficiency investment fund is 
an important tool for implementing energy savings in the Group’s 
units. In 2023, many of the investments focused on the utilisation 
of secondary heat in production processes, for example by 
recovering heat from flue gas systems and utilising thermal power 
from pulp cooking to heat demineralised water. 
2023 saw an expansion of the De Lier corrugated packaging 
production facility in the Netherlands. The unit utilises a variety of 
sustainable solutions, such as solar panels and residual heat 
generated by two new corrugators to heat the site’s office 
buildings. Solar panels are also utilised at the Bad St. Leonhard 
sawmill in Austria. 
The Wood Products division initiated a data automation 
programme that covers all sawmills. Automating energy data 
measurement and monitoring supports the optimisation of energy 
performance and related investments.
Atmospheric emissions
Atmospheric air pollution and aerosol loading relate to one of 
the planetary boundaries that guide Stora Enso’s environmental 
agenda. The Group’s atmospheric emissions stem primarily from 
the combustion of fuels for energy generation at the production 
sites and from transportation. Emissions include CO2, sulphur 
dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), fine particles, and volatile 
organic compounds (VOC) that result from the processing of wood. 
Stora Enso works to reduce air emissions from point sources using 
advanced technologies such as scrubbers and boiler process control 
systems. There are also emissions of ozone-depleting substances 
(ODS) from fixed installations, such as refrigeration and heat pump 
systems, that contribute to the stratospheric ozone layer depletion.
The manufacturing of pulp requires heat and chemicals 
when treating wood chips, which generates odorous, gaseous 
sulphur compounds (total reduced sulphur compounds and 
sulphur oxides) to air. Production sites have local permit limits 
that regulate emissions of sulphurous gases to air. Any non-
compliance is recorded and reported according to both local 
and Group procedures.
Ways of working
Within Stora Enso's value chain, board, pulp, and paper 
production processes are the most energy-intensive, 
underscoring the need for these units to ensure energy efficiency 
across the entire production process. The Group’s energy supply 
is managed through long-term contracts, direct market access via 
energy exchanges, combined heat and power production at 
production units, and shareholding in the energy company 
Pohjolan Voima Oyj.  
In 2023, increased emphasis was placed on harnessing 
the Group’s own electricity generation capabilities and electricity 
demand flexibility. The ability to adjust energy generation and 
consumption in response to market dynamics offers the potential 
for savings on fuel consumption and associated energy production 
costs. On a broader scale, such flexibility is needed for allowing 
a greater amount of renewable energy to enter the energy system. 
Stora Enso’s sites also generate and distribute energy to local 
district heating systems and industrial partners, largely based on 
the incineration of harvesting and production process residuals. 
At the end of the year, 11 sites sold heat for external energy use, 
mainly to local district heating systems. 
New electric boiler reduces CO2 emissions
Stora Enso invested in a new 60 MW electric boiler at 
Anjalankoski site to reduce the use of fossil fuels in 
the site's heat production. The investment also enhances 
flexibility in heat production processes and reduces 
emissions to air. The boiler is scheduled to be 
commissioned during first half of 2024.
13
Targets and performance
Annual energy saving of -1.1% 
until 2030
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 2023 2022 2021
Projected energy savings, % 
(MWh saved/MWh total energy used, 
electricity, heat, and fuels)  -0.7 %  -1.1 %  -0.6 %
Not achieved –  projected energy savings below 
target, focus on optimisation of energy efficiency with 
targeted measures at production sites.
Key actions to drive performance
• Continuous optimisation of energy efficiency with 
targeted measures at production sites
• Investments in energy efficiency supported by 
a dedicated investment fund
• Focus on replacing fossil fuels with renewables and 
increasing non-fossil electricity
• Using long-term energy supply contracts to ensure 
reliable energy supply
• Certified ISO 50001 energy management systems 
to mitigate risk exposure and enhance performance 
For a full set of performance indicators and accounting 
principles, see the Consolidated sustainability figures.
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
47Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 48 =====

Water
Water has a fundamental role in the biosphere for regulating the amount of biomass and impacting the amount of carbon in 
the entire Earth system. With a growing global population, the demand for water is on the rise, while, at the same time, human 
activity is disrupting natural water cycles. Freshwater plays a central role in Stora Enso’s production processes and is a key 
component in forest growth. The Group strives to reduce its impact on the sites’ water sources and maximise the efficient use 
of water, while navigating within the science-based planetary boundary for freshwater change. 
Progress
Water withdrawal and discharges
Production at Stora Enso's board, pulp, and paper units requires 
substantial amounts of water, accounting for over 99% of the 
Group's total water withdrawal. These units predominantly draw 
process and cooling water from surface water sources, with 99% 
of the total water withdrawal derived from surface water in 2023. 
Less than 1% is sourced from municipal or groundwater supplies. 
After use, the process water is cleaned at treatment plants before 
being returned to the local ecosystem. Almost 96% of water is 
recycled back into the environment, while only around 4% of water 
is consumed in production processes. Process water undergoes 
purification at treatment facilities before being released, while 
cooling and non-process water can typically be discharged without 
treatment. Optimising water recycling reduces the need for water 
pumping and heating, resulting in energy savings and enhancing 
the efficiency of treating the remaining wastewater. 
Stora Enso invested a total of EUR 36 million in water-related 
improvements across all operations in 2023. The central energy and 
water efficiency fund specifically supported water-related investments 
of EUR 1 million at the Imatra and Skoghall sites. These investments 
are estimated to reduce the Group’s water discharges by 3 million m3 
and total costs by EUR 0.7 million annually. 
Water availability and water stress
While water is relatively abundant at Stora Enso’s production 
locations, water stress may still impact operations locally and 
through the Group’s wider supply chains. Some sites are 
occasionally impacted by water stress in terms of availability or 
increased surface water temperature. 
Stora Enso applies the WRI Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas to 
assess water-related risks at its production units. In 2023, 
the assessment scope was expanded to include De Jong Group. 
According to this tool, six of the Group’s units operate in regions 
with High Baseline Water Stress: the Beihai site in China, the 
Langerbrugge site in Belgium, and the corrugated units Wujin and 
Qianan in China, and in Mosina and Łódz in Poland. During 2023, 
these units withdrew 17 million m3 of water, which is 4% of 
the Group’s total water withdrawal. The process water discharges 
of these units were 14 million m3, which is 7% of the Group’s total 
process water discharges.
Finalisation of the investigation of 
legionella-related infections in Belgium
In 2019, there was an outbreak of legionella-related infections 
in the Ghent harbour area in Belgium, which encompasses 
the Stora Enso Langerbrugge production site. Stora Enso has 
collaborated and complied with all measures required by 
the authorities and has used external microbiological and medical 
experts to conduct further sampling and evaluation. After 
extensive investigations, the Belgian Council Chamber decided in 
February 2022 to refer Langerbrugge and three individuals, who 
at the time of the incident were employed by Stora Enso, to 
the competent criminal court. Stora Enso concluded settlement 
agreements with all aggrieved persons and reached final 
settlements with the municipality of Evergem, the city of Ghent, 
and the Flemish Region during the last quarter of 2023. 
In January 2024, the court confirmed the guilty plea agreement 
that was reached by the Langerbrugge site and the three 
individuals with the public prosecutor.
Ways of working
Water stewardship
Stora Enso’s approach to water stewardship encompasses both 
surface and groundwater (blue water), and soil moisture from 
precipitation (green water). The approach is founded on 
the assessment of local conditions at each site and within 
the surrounding water basins. It involves the mapping of water 
usage to underscore opportunities for savings and establishing 
goals that align with the specific local context and the relevant 
Group KPIs. These activities are supported by investments in 
water cleaning technology and engagement with stakeholders. 
Performance development is managed within the respective sites’ 
management systems. Stora Enso’s industrial units are required 
14
Targets and performance
Reducing specific process water 
discharges per saleable tonne (m3/tonne) 
by 17% by 2030 from the 2019 baseline 
(36 m3)
Decreasing the trend for total water 
withdrawal per saleable tonne (m3/tonne) 
from the 2016 baseline (60 m3)
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 2023 2022 2021
Process water discharges per saleable 
tonne of board, pulp and paper (m3/t)1 35 34 33
Total water withdrawal per saleable tonne 
of board, pulp and paper (m3/t)1 61 57 54
1 Historical figures are restated due to structural changes or additional data 
after the previous annual report.
Process water discharges: Behind – lower 
production volumes are currently adversely affecting 
the performance per saleable tonne, as a regular water 
flow needs to be maintained, particularly in 
wastewater treatment.
Total water withdrawal: Not achieved – performance 
impacted by lower production volumes (see above).
Key actions to drive performance
• All industrial sites are required to comply with Water 
Management Requirements, standardising water 
improvements across divisions
• Recycling of water at the sites, when possible, 
to reduce the need for water intake
• Minimising the use of process water, and cleaning 
using the best available technologies
For a full set of performance indicators and accounting 
principles, see the Consolidated sustainability figures.
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
48Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 49 =====

to comply with the Group’s Water Management Requirements, which have been established to 
standardise water improvement work across divisions and to achieve integrated water, energy, 
and cost savings. 
Stora Enso aims to improve water performance through targeted investments, combined with 
continuous improvements. This helps to prepare for stricter compliance requirements following 
the introduction of the EU Industrial Emissions Directive and future permit requirements. 
The Group’s approach to the recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial 
Disclosures (TNFD) is described in the Report of the Board of Directors. Stora Enso is also 
committed to the UN Water Action Agenda to accelerate progress on addressing global 
water challenges.
Assessing water-related risk and monitoring compliance
Stora Enso identifies water-related risks in its operations through the assessment of water 
scarcity, failures of water-related equipment, flooding, run-off and rising water levels, and raw 
water temperature implications. The Group applies precautionary management actions 
to mitigate and remedy potential adverse impacts on the environment and people. 
The environmental work at Stora Enso’s sites, including water management and resource 
efficiency, is supported by third-party certified environmental management systems. All sawmills, 
board, pulp, and paper industrial sites are certified to the ISO 14001 environmental management 
system. The majority of the corrugated production units are also certified. Of the corrugated units 
which were acquired in 2023, Heidelberg, St. Ingbert, and  Sausenheim located in Germany, 
are certified. Third-party certification work for the other units, and the formed fiber plant in Hylte, 
Sweden, will begin in 2024. Stora Enso reviews potential investments including mergers, 
acquisitions, and divestments for risks and opportunities via its due diligence procedures, 
including Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and sustainability assessments 
for innovation projects. Consult Stora Enso’s Environmental Guidelines to learn more. 
Compliance with legislation and environmental permit limits are monitored by the sites and 
reported to the relevant environmental authorities. Non-compliances and incidents are reported  
as they occur, and are consolidated to Group management on a quarterly basis. Significant 
incidents are reported immediately. For details on significant environmental incidents and 
violations of environmental permits, see Environmental incidents.
Green water impact
Green water – the water available to trees and plants in terms of soil moisture, precipitation, and 
evaporation – is critical for supporting and regulating biosphere processes related to carbon and 
biogeochemical cycles. Sustainably managed forests and plantations play a key role in 
maintaining natural water cycles. Forests and plantations need rainwater for growth, and active 
water management in plantations contributes to positive effects on the total water balance, as 
well as water storage, purity, and quality. To measure the Company’s biodiversity progress and 
the quality of harvesting operations, Stora Enso has set six biodiversity impact indicators, 
including indicators for soil and water. Read more in Sustainable forestry and biodiversity. 
Increased water recycling and reduced freshwater intake
One of the bleaching plants at the Skutskär production site in Sweden has been 
reconstructed to reduce freshwater intake. Stora Enso invested EUR 47 million to upgrade 
the bleach plant, which now operates mainly with secondary condensate and drying 
machine water. The investment is estimated to decrease the use of freshwater in the 
production site by 4.5 million m3 compared to before the rebuild.
15
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
49Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 50 =====

Environmental incidents
Stora Enso has Group-wide reporting and management processes in place for environmental incidents occurring at its 
production units.The Group’s objective is to have no environmental incidents, but unexpected events can occasionally result 
in temporary breaches. Corrective and preventive measures might include training, investment, and installation of new 
equipment. Root cause analysis is carried out and shared within the organisation for continuous improvement and 
prevention purposes. All significant events are reported to the Board of Director’s Sustainability and Ethics Committee, 
and the Group Compliance Investigation Guidelines are applied also for environmental non-compliances and incidents.
Unit Description of the event Corrective and preventive measures
De Hoop mill Oil pollution of the Eerbeek brook behind the mill due to sewer overload caused by 
extreme rainfall, leading to overflow of the road and discharge of oil-contaminated 
water to rainwater sewer connected to the brook.
Oil captured and polluted areas decontaminated. Rainwater sewers cleaned and 
sealed to prevent contamination of the brook. Additional cleaning process water 
sewers implemented, and sewer drawings updated.
Enocell mill Monthly permit limits in November and December exceeded for collection and 
treatment of weak odorous gases due to occasional problems with the burning of 
odorous gases in the recovery boiler, thus leaving gases unburnt through the chimney.
Equipment changed for condensate removal in recovery boiler. Additional measures 
taken during the maintenance break. Plan accepted by the authorities.
Forest Baltic A major newspaper in Estonia published a story about harvesting in a bird-rich forest 
based on a complaint sent to the authorities, which suspended Stora Enso’s 
harvesting at the site.
Harvesting practices reviewed taking into account Estonian FSC criteria and current 
legislation. Short-term guidelines issued to own personnel and contractors on working 
practices during bird nesting season. Updated procedures will be applied after 
the launch of the new FSC criteria and eventual legislative changes.
Forest Finland A Forest Act’s water small stream was crossed during forest transport, causing 
terrain soil damage after heavy rain. Damage was caused by deficiencies in 
the bridge structure and wrong harvesting timing.
Harvesting instructions updated with additional guidance for approval of bridges by 
management, considering also weather conditions and right logging timing when 
crossing riverbeds. Strip road’s depression repaired in soil preparation.
Forest Finland Harvesting in flying squirrel's habitat due to deficiencies in terrain marking on 
the logging map applied during harvesting as well as insufficient communication with 
the contractor’s harvester driver.
Operating instructions regarding flying squirrels reviewed and field trainings held 
with contractors.
Forest Finland Water Act’s trickle in logging area was crossed by a forest machine resulting in 
destroyed trickle at the crossing point. The damage was caused by deficiencies in 
the bridge structure.
Improved procedures for bridge construction and timing of harvesting activities. 
Trickle to be restored in spring 2024.
Forest Finland Lack of sufficient buffer zones left around a Forest Act’s trickle and seepage surface. 
This was caused by deficiencies in contractors’ logging planning during winter and 
lack of awareness of the existing habitat.
Improved planning for snow period, implementation of humidity index map 
in planning.
Forest Finland Planning of harvesting operation, involving crossing of a Forest Act water stream, not 
done according to instructions. The authorities were not notified about the crossing and 
the exception permit for felling of trees from the crossing point had not been granted.
Training in existing instructions to personnel related to the application of exception 
permits and reporting crossings to authorities regarding habitats protected by law.
Forest Finland One or two small trees were felled at a small, potential Forest Act marsh. The habitat 
was demarcated from the logging site with protect-save tapes, but trees were cut too 
close to the habitat during preliminary clearing due to human error (event from 2022 
upgraded to major in 2023).
Additional training provided to forestry experts concerning the use of information 
about protected habitats in operational data for relevant forest sites.
Forest Sweden Harvesting 5.2 ha outside the felling boundary, partly in natural reserve area, where 
approximately 70 trees were felled. Case was filed to the police by the County 
Administrative Board.
Training performed for one machine driver.  Analysis did not reveal deficiencies 
in instructions.
Forest Sweden Harvesting 0.13 ha with general biotope protection without required permission of 
exemption. Case filed to the police by the County Administrative Board. Company 
fine of SEK 30,000 (EUR 2,600) paid by Stora Enso.
Instructions updated with information on this specific general biotope protection. 
Information shared internally.
Forest Sweden Five trees were cut within Natura 2000 area without previous consultation with 
the County Administrative Board, which filed the case to the police.
Forestry operations in conjunction with Natura 2000 areas stopped, and instructions for 
consultation updated to prevent reoccurrence. Information shared internally.
Forest Sweden Harvesting 1 ha outside the existing final felling contract done without notification to the 
Forestry Board. The Expansion was initiated due to bark beetle damages in the area but 
lacked permission. Case notified by media, and police report filed by the Forestry board.
The routine for harvesting planning and directives updated. Wood purchasing 
organisation informed about the incident. Customers informed about their receival of 
controversial wood.
Imatra mill Permit limit for strong malodorous gases handling disturbance time exceeded in 
October, following the update of the automation system during maintenance 
shut down.
Error corrected in valve programming, and the testing process for critical equipment 
was improved after changes. Enhanced emissions monitoring to the automation 
system and improvements in emergency on-duty services during start-ups.
Ždírec mill Permit limit for night-time noise exceeded during an authority control measurement 
in a family house located close to the sawmill and log infeed line.
Application for night operations with increased noise limit prepared for 2024. 
Implementation of a noise study, preventive actions in collaboration with a noise 
measurement company, and limitations of forklift traffic during night-time.
16
Not achieved – significant non-compliance events 
occurred despite prevention measures. Increased 
management focus was placed on the topic.
Targets and performance
Zero non-compliance events
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 2023 2022 2021
Number of significant non-compliance 
events 14 16 8
1 Historical figure for 2022 is restated. Details disclosed in the table to the left.
For a full set of performance indicators and accounting 
principles, see the Consolidated sustainability figures.
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
50Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 51 =====

Employees 
Stora Enso’s business success depends on its ability to retain, develop, and attract new talent. Skilled and engaged 
employees are essential in responding to a changing business environment, driving the Group’s strategy and sustainability 
ambition forward. Stora Enso’s employees strongly identify with its purpose to contribute to solving global sustainability 
challenges, an asset the Group builds on when competing for future talent. Stora Enso strives to foster an inclusive 
workplace with opportunities for upskilling and competence development.
Progress
Diversity and inclusion 
Stora Enso recognises the importance of a diverse and inclusive 
working environment to improve performance, collaboration, and 
innovation. The Group’s approach to diversity and inclusion is 
described in more detail in the section Our people. 
To increase transparency on equal opportunities and fair 
compensation, Stora Enso conducted a gender pay equity study 
in 2022, covering all office workers. The study was carried out by 
an independent third party and focused on identifying any 
unexplained gender pay gaps. Overall, the results were at 
an average level compared to other industrial companies and 
showed that, for most part, the pay was concluded to be equal. 
However, there was a small portion of employees for whom 
legitimate factors, such as experience, tenure, or performance, did 
not explain the pay difference. The unexplained pay gap findings 
of the study have been closed in connection with the 2023 annual 
salary review process. Going forward, pay equity development will 
be monitored on an annual basis. For comparison of female 
employees’ compensation to male employees’ compensation, 
see Consolidated sustainability figures.
Living wages
In 2023, Stora Enso conducted a living wage analysis using 
the comparison data and methodology provided by the Business 
for Social Responsibility (BSR), a global non-profit organisation. 
The previous analysis was conducted in 2021. In 2023, the study 
was carried out in 13 countries, representing as many as 91% of 
the Group’s employees. Within these countries, the largest 
operational sites and offices were included, reaching a total of 34 
locations globally. In all of the locations, Stora Enso’s minimum 
compensation was above the living wage defined by BSR when 
accounted for lowest wage with bonuses.
Based on the internal minimum wage assessment conducted in 
most high-risk countries in 2023, Stora Enso complies with minimum 
wage regulations and pays at par or above the legal requirements. 
For more information, see Consolidated sustainability figures.
Leadership and competence development
Leadership is one of the key enablers needed to implement 
the Group’s strategy, and Stora Enso continuously invests in 
the development of its leaders and managers through a number 
of leadership training programmes. The leadership programme 
matrix comprises five distinct levels of leadership training, each 
designed to cater to the various stages and needs of leadership 
development within the organisation. The programmes support 
leaders without a formal role, those new to leading projects and 
teams, and those with previous managerial experience but new to 
the company, as well as senior leaders and executives. 
Approximately 450 employees participated in leadership training 
during the year. There is also a broad range of leadership training 
courses available online for all employees. 
In 2022, a two-day event was hosted for 200 Stora Enso 
leaders covering topics such as the planetary boundaries, 
the fast-changing world of geopolitics, and how a supportive 
company culture and leadership can drive the development of 
solutions for a sustainable business. In 2023, key learnings were 
cascaded within the organisation, encouraging discussions within 
teams. Divisions also implemented e-learning programmes and 
conducted online learning sessions on key sustainability topics to 
enhance collective sustainability capabilities.
Stora Enso also continued to run an internal mentoring 
programme available to all employees to enhance learning culture 
and to promote professional and personal development. Over 200 
mentor-mentee pairs took part in the programme in 2023.
Talent development and upskilling plans are part of 
performance and development reviews to support individual 
career planning. The aim is that all employees are involved in at 
least one formal performance and development review with their 
manager each year.
17
Targets and performance
Increase the share of female managers 
to 25% by the end of 2024
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 2023 2022 2021
% of female managers among 
all managers  2 4  % 2 3  % 2 3  %
For a full set of performance indicators and accounting 
principles, see the Consolidated sustainability figures.
On track – at the end of 2023, the share of female 
managers was 24%, progressing in line with the target 
set for 2024. Efforts continue to further enhance 
diversity and inclusion. 
Key actions to drive performance
• Group-wide recruitment principles to enhance 
inclusive recruitment
• Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion through 
various initiatives led by divisions
• Leadership development programmes to build and 
maintain a high-performance culture
• Focus on capability development in sustainability, 
which is integral to Stora Enso´s strategy
• Linking the target to increase the share of female 
managers to remuneration as a component of 
the long-term incentive programme
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
51Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 52 =====

Ways of working
The global People Promise and Expectations framework supports driving the Group’s strategy 
with defined priorities. In line with the decentralised operating model, responsibility for planning 
and implementing actions related to these priorities was transferred to divisions in late 2023. 
The employee engagement survey was conducted twice in 2023 to better understand employee 
views and measure progress on the People Promise and Expectations. Read more in the section 
Our people.
Fair labour
Stora Enso continued to address areas in the Global Framework Agreement signed with 
the labour unions IndustriAll, UniGlobal, and BWI to strive for a working environment where all its 
employees are treated with respect and in a fair manner. Stora Enso’s bi-annual meeting with 
Global Unions, in accordance with the Global Framework Agreement is scheduled to take place 
in early 2024. Stora Enso also works closely with the European Works Council to establish and 
develop an open and confidential information and consultation procedure between the Company 
and its employees in the EU/EEA. 
At the end of 2023, approximately 80% of Stora Enso’s employees were covered by collective 
bargaining agreements (85% in 2022). The number is an estimate due to differences in national 
legislation. In China, the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is stipulated by 
law. Stora Enso’s packaging units in China, which account for the majority of the Group’s 
employees in the country, have established unions which form part of the state-authorised China 
Labour Union. In addition, Stora Enso operates a board production site and in forestry operations 
in China. These units have formed worker councils, which serve as channels for direct feedback 
and dialogue between employees and management.
Stora Enso’s biennial self-assessment regarding compliance with the Group’s Minimum HR 
Requirements was conducted in 2023. The assessment covers areas such as working hours, 
basic employee rights, working conditions, and non-discrimination. Based on assessment, 
the vast majority of Stora Enso’s production units are in compliance with these requirements. 
Units with identified improvement needs have established action plans to become fully compliant 
with the requirements.
In December 2021, a court ruling in France sentenced Stora Enso to pay damages to former 
employees following the closing down of the Corbehem site in France in 2014. At the end of 
2023, the case was still being processed in the Supreme Court.
Support for responsible exits and restructuring situations 
In 2023, Stora Enso progressed with its restructuring actions aimed at strengthening 
the Group’s long-term competitiveness and creating a decentralised and more customer-
centric operating model. The headcount impact from this restructuring programme was 
1,150 with some of the effects actualising in 2024.
The closure of the Sunila site and the closure of one paper line at the Anjala site in 
Finland resulted in 240 and 50 reductions respectively. Meanwhile, the closure of one of 
the containerboard lines at the Ostrołęka site in Poland resulted in 50 reductions. 
The closure of the De Hoop container board site in the Netherlands resulted in 185 
reductions, while the closure of the Näpi sawmill in Estonia resulted in 90 reductions. 
Change negotiations in the Packaging Materials division’s management and support 
functions resulted in approximately 250 reductions. Finally, in the Group functions, 
negotiations impacted approximately 280 positions. 
In restructuring situations, Stora Enso is committed to working closely together with 
the Group’s other locations, the local community, and other relevant stakeholders to 
support the re-employment and training of the affected employees. During significant 
operational changes notice periods are typically several months and are based on local 
legislation and/or collective bargaining agreements. The majority of Stora Enso 
employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements, and in organisational 
restructuring situations consultation processes with trade unions are carried out according 
to local legislation and relevant collective bargaining agreements.
It is important that the impacted employees understand the reasons for the change 
and are supported in finding work elsewhere. Every employee should be treated with 
respect and given access to support throughout the restructuring process. Initiatives are 
developed on a country or local level to suit local circumstances and requirements. 
Furthermore, Stora Enso is committed to working closely with the local communities 
impacted during significant restructurings, read more in Community engagement. 
For more information about significant changes during the year, see Consolidation of 
sustainability statements.
18
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
52Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 53 =====

Safety
A safe and healthy working environment is at the core of all Stora Enso business activities and processes. It also plays an 
important role in supporting productivity and efficiency at work. Stora Enso’s aim is to provide an accident-free workplace for 
all. The Group’s safety commitment applies equally, not only to its own employees, but also to contractors and other visitors 
at its sites. Everyone is expected and encouraged to take an active role in supporting the continuous improvement of safety.
Progress
While the Group's TRI rate has improved from last year, safety efforts 
continue as more work remains to be done. In 2023, a new leading 
indicator, the ´Safety Engagement Rate`, was introduced to divisions 
and to sourcing and logistics operations to monitor proactive safety 
reporting. The indicator includes, for example, near misses, safety 
walks, safety observations, and improvement ideas. The leading 
indicator complements the lagging indicator on Total Recordable 
Incidents (TRI) and emphasises the importance of preventive risk 
action, and everyone’s responsibility in ensuring a safe workplace. 
Divisions have defined roadmaps to guide their safety work, 
incorporating the new indicator on safety engagement.
Stora Enso’s fifth consecutive annual Safety Week was 
organised in 2023 to highlight and share good safety practices 
among employees and contractors. The global event supports 
the development of a safer working environment, strengthens 
safety culture, and through participation from top management, 
underpins the importance of safety leadership. 
Fire incident at Ala sawmill in Sweden
In August 2023, a fire broke out at the Ala sawmill in Sweden, 
while restarting kiln 2 after a summer stoppage. The building was 
destroyed by the rapidly spreading fire, leaving the mill with 50% 
reduction in kiln capacity. The emergency routine was activated 
immediately, and no one was injured. Investment into new dryers 
has been started. 
Ways of working
The Group’s safety work comprises proactive safety initiatives and 
the engagement of employees, preventive risk management, 
the investigation of incidents, and the sharing of findings across 
divisions. Divisions and units have safety training programmes to 
ensure all employees have the necessary health and safety-
related competencies and skills. Safety trainings are mandatory 
for Stora Enso’s employees where applicable and are provided 
during paid working hours. The mandatory Supplier Safety Trail 
training course promotes supplier and contractor safety.
The provision of a safe working environment and the upholding 
of operational integrity are under constant review at Stora Enso, 
and are based on international standards, but with an ambition 
that reaches far beyond mere compliance. Currently 46 out of 
61 operational units are externally certified according to 
the ISO 45001:2018 safety management standard. Stora Enso 
encourages supply chain partners to pursue similar certification. 
Stora Enso’s Occupational Health and Safety accountability 
was transferred to divisions in 2022, with clearly defined 
governance practices to promote collaboration and knowledge 
sharing across the Group. The divisions’ respective safety 
organisations maintain a strong focus on all safety-related issues, 
including contractor safety and audits. Sourcing and logistics 
operations continue to stress safety through the Supplier Code of 
Conduct. Safety remains a key focus at every level of the 
organisation, from the Board of Directors to local units. Other 
relevant stakeholders, such as workers’, contractors’ or suppliers’ 
representatives are consulted when necessary. 
Stora Enso utilises the ‘Fair and Just’ approach to safety 
incidents, focused on understanding the root cause and 
preventing re-occurrence, ensuring fair investigation procedures, 
and fostering accountability. The Group’s approach to safety goes 
beyond physical safety, and employees and contractors are 
encouraged to proactively identify and report unsafe situations or 
actions. Read more in Business ethics.
Virtual Safety Walks empower safety leadership
Stora Enso Packaging Materials division launched virtual 
safety walks during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this 
practice has continued ever since. The safety walks 
welcome divisional top management, operation leaders, 
safety managers, and production workers to discuss, give 
feedback, and share best practices across units. 
The number of participants in virtual walks has doubled 
since launching, with participation across continents. 
All units belonging to Packaging Materials have been 
visited at least once and virtual revisits are organised, 
especially on occasions where the safety walk has 
included a significant amount of constructive feedback. 
19
Targets and performance
Total Recordable Incident (TRI) rate of 
4.9 or less by the end of 2023 
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 2023 2022 2021
TRI rate 4.7 5.9 6.2
Achieved – target was exceeded by prioritising 
preventive safety measures and reinforcing divisions’ 
accountability on improving performance.
In 2023, no fatal injuries occurred at Stora Enso’s sites.
Key actions to drive performance
• To further reinforce accountability in improving 
safety performance and carrying out targeted 
mitigating and corrective actions, accountability is 
transferred to divisions
• New leading safety indicator, the ‘Safety 
Engagement Rate’, introduced in 2023, focused on 
preventive safety management
• Both lagging (TRI) and leading safety indicators 
linked to remuneration as a component of the short-
term incentive programme
• Continuous development and extension of 
the coverage of the Stora Enso safety notification 
and observation system (SMART), available for 
both employees and contractors
For a full set of performance indicators and accounting 
principles, see the Consolidated sustainability figures.
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
53Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 54 =====

Business ethics
Compliance with laws and regulations is what gives a company its licence to operate and helps it to navigate 
a changing business environment. Stora Enso operates globally, including in high-risk markets that offer business 
opportunities but may entail exposure to serious compliance risks. Measures are taken to help combat corruption, 
follow international trade sanctions, ensure sound business practices, and preserve competitive markets. The Group’s 
work is guided by its values ‘Lead’ and ‘Do what’s right’, and by empowering all employees to speak up against 
misconduct or unethical behaviour.
Progress
Enhancements in governance and compliance
During the past years, there has been a significant increase in 
reported misconduct cases, which is likely due to a greater 
external and internal focus on ethical conduct, compliance, and 
voicing concerns. Following this development, Stora Enso 
continued to strengthen its governance and operating model for 
ethics and compliance topics. To ensure that all compliance cases 
are thoroughly evaluated and assessed in a timely and efficient 
manner, a new Disciplinary Committee was established with 
the sole responsibility of the closing of compliance investigations. 
Furthermore, to support all parties involved in evaluating 
a misconduct investigation and determining the appropriate 
disciplinary action, Stora Enso initiated the creation of 
a Disciplinary Handbook to provide an ethical foundation for 
reasonable disciplinary action taken within Stora Enso. The Ethics 
and Compliance team is now responsible for investigating major 
environmental non-compliance incidents, in addition to their 
previously assigned responsibility for safety incidents.
In line with the upcoming EU requirements on due diligence, 
the Group Ethics and Compliance team has placed greater 
emphasis and resources on the Group’s value chain, both with 
customers and suppliers. Together with the Group Sustainability 
team, it steers the governance model and Group requirements, 
whereas the divisions are responsible for ensuring 
the implementation of these requirements and for reporting 
performance to the Group. From the latter part of 2023, divisions 
also report and review several Ethics and Compliance focused 
KPIs on a quarterly basis with the Group Leadership Team. These 
reviews are an organic part of the decentralised operating model 
to enable a balance between empowering divisions and 
maintaining strong central leadership over critical matters such as 
compliance, ethics, and values. 
A first version of the Customer Code of Conduct was also 
produced during the year and will be piloted in selected business 
areas. The Customer Code of Conduct summarises Stora Enso’s 
expectations towards customers in all sustainability areas 
including business ethics, human rights, environmental protection, 
and grievance handling.
Continuing the Group’s actions in response to the dramatic 
increase of sanction programmes against Russia from multiple 
jurisdictions, the trade sanction chapter in the Business Practice 
Policy will be updated and renamed to ‘Trade Sanctions and 
Exports Controls’. These updates mainly reflect recent legislative 
developments with regarding international sanctions, as well as 
Stora Enso’s early decision in March 2022 to stop all direct and 
indirect business with Russia. Stora Enso is committed to 
ensuring that it complies with all applicable sanctions-related laws 
and regulations globally.
The European Commission conducted an unannounced 
inspection (dawn raid) at Stora Enso’s headquarters in Finland in 
October 2021. In June 2023, the European Commission 
announced that after a thorough and careful assessment, it has 
decided to close the investigation. The European Commission 
conducted similar inspections in several member states, 
at the premises of companies active in the wood pulp sector.  
During 2023, Stora Enso’s updated Competition Law 
Compliance Programme was successfully completed. While this 
work was already underway, the dawn raid initiated by 
the European Commission and the subsequent internal 
investigation in 2021 served as an important catalyst to further 
scrutinise the Group’s processes and adapt accordingly. 
The programme comprises various rounds of training, detailed 
competition law risk assessments, and targeted risk mitigation 
actions. As such, the competition law section of the Group’s 
Business Practice Policy was updated with improvements. 
Extensive updates were also made to the IT guidelines to further 
strengthen business communications practices.
Ethical dialogue and capacity building
To further promote ethical leadership, comprehensive onboarding 
material was tailored for new and existing Group Leadership Team 
members to ensure that senior management has a clear and 
20
Targets and performance
Maintain a positive trend in 
the Ethics and Compliance Index
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 2023 2022 2021
Ethics and Compliance Index* 8.9 8.7 n/a
*An average of five Ethics and Compliance-related questions in the employee 
survey. The maximum rating is 10.
Achieved – improved score in the Ethics and 
Compliance Index.
Key actions to drive performance
• Continued actions in the four key focus areas to 
enhance awareness and knowledge within business 
ethics: Risk assessment and compliance: Values-
based leadership; Ethical dialogue; Speak Up – 
Listen Up
• Capacity building and awareness raising prioritised 
throughout the organisation
• Focus on trade sanctions and export controls 
following changes in the geopolitical landscape
• Increasing the activities of the Ethics Ambassador 
Network to promote ethical dialogue
For a full set of performance indicators and accounting 
principles, see the Consolidated sustainability figures.
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
54Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 55 =====

thorough understanding of the company values and culture, as well as the most important ethics 
and compliance rules and processes. The details of training initiatives for all employees are 
further explained under 'Ways of Working'.
To strengthen awareness and knowledge among all employees, two new ethics webinars 
were organised covering psychological safety and impact of pressure on human behaviour. 
The Ethics Ambassador Network gained wide interest during the year, and now has 
approximately 300 ambassadors from all parts of the organisation. Training sessions were 
organised for the new Ethics Ambassadors, focusing on the Group’s purpose and values, 
international compliance legislation, and internal policies and rules.
The Ethics and Compliance Academy has proven to be a valuable tool over the years to 
educate Ethics and Compliance professionals within the Group, and in 2023 the content was 
renewed. The Academy is an important enabler of constant learning, facilitation of knowledge, 
and experience sharing throughout the organisation. 
Ways of working
The Stora Enso Code, the Group’s code of conduct, outlines the approach to ethical business 
practices, human and labour rights, and the environment. The Code is a single set of values for 
all employees, applied wherever Stora Enso operates. The Ethics and Compliance Strategy 
outlines how the Ethics and Compliance function supports Stora Enso’s purpose and values and 
contributes to the fulfilment of the Group’s strategy.
    All new Stora Enso employees are required to complete the Code training. Employees who 
face elevated ethics and compliance risks due to the nature of their work are required to 
complete mandatory, in-depth compliance training, named COMPLY, and to annually sign off on 
updates. All office workers are also required to complete training on data privacy. Sales and 
sourcing teams are offered tailored training on competition law and anti-corruption, including 
training on trade associations, joint purchasing agreements, gifts and hospitality, and the 
onboarding of critical business partners. 
Stora Enso’s Ethics and Compliance function is a part of Group Legal function, headed by 
the General Counsel  who reports directly to the CEO. The Ethics and Compliance Management 
Committee – a governance body chaired by the General Counsel – monitors legal compliance 
and ethical business conduct and meets quarterly.  
Ethics and Compliance integration is also a crucial part of the aftermath of all mergers and 
acquisitions. During the year, the Group’s Ethics and Compliance programme was rolled out to 
the De Jong Group following its acquisition, and improvement actions will continue going forward.
Risk assessment and monitoring 
Stora Enso’s risk assessment procedures are outlined in the Enterprise Risk Management 
instructions, which cover all units. The results are used for planning purposes by divisional 
management teams and by Ethics and Compliance. To support compliance control, a third-party 
management tool is used for due diligence, onboarding, and the continuous monitoring of critical 
third-party business partners. A screening process is also utilised in both external and internal 
senior management recruitment. 
Another important tool for ensuring high business ethics is ‘The Ethics and Compliance Self-
assessment Tool (T.E.S.T.)’. This extensive self-assessment covers all critical areas and controls 
in the Stora Enso Code and the Business Practice Policy and is mandatory for all key units in 
each division. T.E.S.T. provides divisions and functions with an overview of their progress in 
implementing policies and compliance measures, while also identifying and managing possible 
gaps and risks.
Reporting and investigating misconduct
Employees and other stakeholders are encouraged to report suspected cases of misconduct or 
unethical behaviour. Stora Enso complies with the EU Whistleblowing Directive, and reporting is 
facilitated via any of the Group’s grievance channels, be it personal contact, e-mail, letter, phone, 
or anonymously via the ‘Speak Up’ reporting channel. All potential non-compliance cases 
involving a Stora Enso employee or a contracted third-party are duly investigated by a dedicated, 
independent internal team. All cases, upon completion, are reported to both the Ethics and 
Compliance Management Committee (from October 2023 the Disciplinary Committee) and 
the Board of Directors’ Sustainability and Ethics Committee. Proven cases of non-compliance 
may lead to disciplinary or legal action. In cases where a remediation plan is required, it is 
implemented together with the relevant management representatives. 
A successful recruitment campaign to the Ethics Ambassador Network
During 2023, approximately 250 new employees were successfully recruited to 
Stora Enso’s Ethics Ambassador Network. The network, established in 2016, aims to raise 
awareness and knowledge of the importance of business ethics. There are now over 300 
Ethics Ambassadors within Stora Enso, situated in 22 different countries, representing 
a wide variety of roles within the organisation. Ambassadors act as role models for ethical 
values and actively promote ethics and Stora Enso’s purpose and values in their 
respective workplaces. 
23
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
55Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 56 =====

Human rights
Every individual has a right to be treated with dignity, without discrimination. Geopolitical tensions, climate change, and 
increasing inequality further emphasise the importance of human rights. New regulatory developments, such as the EU’s 
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, oblige companies to conduct due diligence to identify and prevent 
environmental and human rights risks. When growing and harvesting trees, producing products or transporting materials, 
Stora Enso has an impact on people. The Group directly impacts approximately 19,000 forest owners, 21,000 employees, 
over 20,000 suppliers and thousands of customers globally. Stora Enso’s approach to human rights is informed by the UN 
Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It involves the proactive identification of potential risks across the value 
chain, taking appropriate action to mitigate adverse impacts, and implementing remediation measures when needed.
Progress
While Stora Enso considers all human rights to be important and 
respects them, the human rights identified as being most salient 
remain its primary focus. Geographically, the biggest potential 
impact is in countries where the Group employs large groups of 
people, either directly or indirectly. In addition, Stora Enso has 
identified high-risk sourcing categories where salient human rights 
issues may be impacted through the supply chain. These include 
recycling services, land and sea transportation services, and 
wood supply functions. 
Salient human rights issue 2023 actions
Health and safety • Proactive safety measures to ensure an accident-free workplace. Zero fatal accidents occurred at Stora Enso’s sites. 
Read more in Safety.
• New leading safety indicator focused on preventive management introduced in 2023.
• Short-term incentives linked to improved performance on safety. Read more in Remuneration.
Fair labour • FSC chain-of-custody audits carried out at 14 sites in 2023, covering requirements on core labour rights.
• 25 Supplier Code of Conduct (SCoC) audits  during 2023, primarily in China, with the majority relating to contracted 
manufacturing and labour agencies. Read more in Sustainable sourcing.
• Bi-annual meetings with Global Unions as part of the Global Framework Agreement. Read more about Stora Enso’s 
commitment to freedom of association in Employees.
• Long-term incentives linked to improved performance on diversity. Read more in Remuneration.
• Stora Enso conducts a bi-annual living wage analysis. Read more in Employees.
Acquisition and management of 
land and natural resource rights
• Sustainable resettlement in Bahia, Brazil. At the end of 2023, 139 hectares or 0.1% of productive land owned by Veracel 
remained occupied by social landless movements not involved in the agreements. Read more on storaenso.com.
• Monitoring state land recovery in Guangxi province, China. Recovery of occupied land continued in 2023, with 7,077 
hectares of land, or 10%, under occupation at the end on the year. Read more in the Report of the Board of Directors. 
• Community consultations are a key element in Stora Enso’s human rights due diligence and forest operations. Read more 
in Community.
Access to grievance mechanisms • Speak-Up Hotline is accessible for internal and external stakeholders, and all cases are investigated. Read more in 
Business ethics.
• Local grievance channels are available for communities and other external stakeholders of the joint operations Veracel in 
Brazil and Montes del Plata in Uruguay. For more details, see the Veracel and Montes del Plata websites.
Children’s rights • The child labour remediation programme1 in Pakistan was completed in March 2023. The programme focused on providing 
vocational training to students to improve their future employability. Read more on storaenso.com.
1 As part of our responsible exit from Pakistan following the 2017 divestment of the 35% minority holding in the equity accounted investment.
24
Targets and performance
Ensure efficient implementation 
of the human rights due diligence 
programme
Key 
Performance 
Indicator (KPI) 2023 2022 2021
Implementation 
of human rights 
due diligence 
programme
Implementing 
pilot phase 
findings into 
operations and 
processes
3 pilots 
targeting 
key risk 
areas
Continuous 
improvements
On track – continued focus on human rights 
due diligence.
Key actions to drive performance
• Continuous alignment with the proposed EU 
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive 
(CSDDD)
• Scaling up best practices within the organisation on 
salient human rights issues, including knowledge 
sharing with joint ventures
• Long and short-term remuneration incentives linked 
to improved performance on safety and diversity
• Continued focus on Sedex Member Ethical Data 
Audits (SMETA)
For a full set of performance indicators and accounting 
principles, see the Consolidated sustainability figures.
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
56Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 57 =====

Scaling up best practices
In 2023, Stora Enso shared best practices and adapted existing processes to embed the outcomes 
of the three deep-dive projects initiated in 2022. The projects were carried out together with a third-
party consultancy, with the aim of improving risk identification and controls for two high-risk supply 
chains, as well as the due diligence processes in the Group’s own operations.
1. Internal assessment process focusing on migrant workers in the forest supply chain
In Stora Enso’s forest operations in Sweden, activities such as the clearing and planting of trees 
are carried out by silviculture contractors, who predominantly employ migrant workers. A deep 
dive in 2022 resulted in a new monitoring and auditing approach being introduced to avoid or 
mitigate risks to migrant workers. This includes, among other things, more time to interact with 
migrant workers in the field as well as outside of working hours, facilitated by a translator. Two of 
the specific key improvement areas identified were workers’ difficulty in understanding wage 
payments and a low awareness of the rights afforded to them under applicable agreements in 
Sweden. As a result, the new collective bargaining agreement includes a commitment from 
the union to provide physical meetings at the start of every season. During 2023, all audits of 
silviculture contractors in Sweden were carried out following this new approach, and findings 
were shared with industry peers. The next step is to scale this approach to other Stora Enso 
locations and work towards a common approach with industry peers.
2. Deep-dive assessment of the Paper for Recycling supply chain
The Paper for Recycling (PfR) supply chain has a heightened risk due to the complex nature of 
the supply chain’s structure and low of awareness of the relevant risks among the wide range of 
actors involved. The outcome of the assessment showed that the work in the PfR supply chain is 
often labour intensive and associated with a lower barrier to entry and skill level. Risks can 
include inadequate or unregulated working conditions, informal forms of employment, low wages, 
the use of migrant workers, and a lack of transparency regarding sub-suppliers, among others. 
Jobs in the PfR supply chain can be a last resort of employment, which may further contribute to 
placing workers in a vulnerable position. Based on the risk landscape identified through the deep 
dive assessment carried out in the Packaging Materials division in Poland in 2022, Stora Enso 
has developed a more structured way of working with the PfR supply chain. This includes placing 
a greater focus on the specific supplier segments to assess risks and identify appropriate 
mitigation activities. 
3. Improved risk assessment and monitoring in the due diligence process for own operations
The Biomaterials division’s production sites in the Nordics focused on defining a new approach 
to improve the due diligence process for Stora Enso’s own operations, in conjunction with 
SMETA audits. The approach has since been shared with other divisions, and in late 2023 
extended to the Veracel joint operation in Brazil and its own human rights due diligence work. 
The process compliments the SMETA audits by focusing on dialogue and improvement 
possibilities, and broadens the scope of included stakeholder groups beyond own employees. 
Since on-site contractors often fall outside of a company’s monitoring scope, the assessment 
gave valuable practical pointers on how to include on-site contractors in the due 
diligence process.
Capacity building
Training and capacity building is an integral part of due diligence to enable the integration of human 
rights into key business processes. Human rights are a core element in several training modules for 
the Group’s employees, including in the Stora Enso Code training aimed at all employees. 
The annual mandatory Human Rights training for security guards at the Veracel 50% owned joint 
venture operation was carried out according to plan. 
Stora Enso arranges other training and awareness building activities tailored to specific 
needs. To cite one example, in 2023 all managers working in silviculture in Sweden were invited 
to an awareness-raising session focused on migrant workers’ rights. 
Ways of working
The commitment to respect human rights covers all operations, including the Group’s 
employees, contractors, suppliers, and communities. Stora Enso takes human rights into 
account across its business activities, starting from investment decisions, while paying special 
attention to vulnerable groups, and encouraging the Group’s partners to do the same. 
The integration of human rights aspects into Stora Enso’s business activities is described in 
further detail in the Human Rights Guidelines.
The Group continuously identifies and assesses potential and actual adverse impacts related 
to human rights and defines preventive and mitigating actions accordingly. Risk identification is 
integrated into due diligence processes and informs the Group’s Enterprise Risk Management 
process. Stora Enso is committed to remedying situations where its activities have caused or 
contributed to adverse human rights impacts. Remediation measures are determined on a case-
by-case basis and according to the local context. The Group’s remediation process includes 
implementing corrective actions and ensuring knowledge sharing to prevent similar cases from 
arising in the future. Stora Enso continues to develop its due diligence processes in line with 
the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.
Key tools for project-specific human rights include: 
• Investment guidelines
• Environmental and social due diligence for mergers and acquisitions
• Environmental and Social Impact Assessments
• Community consultations, including Free, Prior and Informed Consent
• Sustainability Assessment checklist for innovation projects 
Value chain transparency and reporting on human rights
Improving value chain transparency is a key component of due diligence. Stora Enso has been 
a member of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex), since 2011, a platform where 
companies share unit-specific sustainability information with customers. Sedex Member Ethical 
Data Audits (SMETA) are conducted regularly, assessing suppliers’ performance against 
applicable labour standards, as well as health and safety, environmental, and business ethics 
criteria. Furthermore, Stora Enso is a member of EcoVadis, a platform where companies’ 
supplier performance is assessed and shared with customers. In 2023, Stora Enso was awarded 
the highest ‘Platinum’ level by EcoVadis for the seventh consecutive year. 
The Group also takes part in membership organisations such as the Global Business Initiative 
for Human Rights (GBI), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), 
and the Enact Human Rights & Business Practice Group (HRBPG) for access to expert 
knowledge and peer learning.
Stora Enso reports on its human rights work annually and strives to align its reporting with 
the United Nation’s Guiding Principles (UNGP) reporting framework. The Group publishes 
an annual Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement in accordance with the United Kingdom’s 
Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the Australian Modern Slavery Act 2018.
25
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
57Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 58 =====

Community
Resilient and thriving communities promote economic stability and social well-being. Stora Enso is a significant employer, 
business partner, and taxpayer in its operating areas, while its investments improve local infrastructure. The Group has 
processes and procedures in place to prevent and avoid any influence from its tree plantations on land use that may 
adversely affect the rights of local communities. Protecting and respecting the rights of local communities and indigenous 
peoples is an essential part of sustainable forest management practices. Stora Enso strives to minimise negative socio-
environmental impacts, maximise positive influence, and maintain a constructive community dialogue that ensures a long-
term social license to operate. 
Progress
Value created in communities 
Communities near to Stora Enso’s operations are supported 
through community development programmes and initiatives, 
with monetary and in-kind donations, and employee volunteering.  
Stora Enso encourages its employees to engage in supporting 
local communities through volunteering, and employees are 
offered the possibility to use eight hours of paid working time each 
year for volunteer work. In 2023, the Group’s employees spent 
a total of 2,294 hours for volunteer work, equivalent to 57 weeks 
of working time.
In 2023, the majority of the voluntary community investment 
was allocated to Brazil to build resilience in local indigenous and 
farming communities through economic support and investments 
in education. Stora Enso continued to support emergency relief 
efforts through donations as well as donating towards 
the development of young leaders.
Stora Enso has a significant impact on the livelihoods of 
the local communities through direct and indirect employment. 
In 2023, Stora Enso employed approximately 21,000 individuals 
directly as well as employing a significant number of people 
indirectly. By purchasing from approximately 19,000 forest owners 
and sourcing from over 20,000 suppliers, Stora Enso helps to 
generate income for hundreds of local businesses and develop 
local infrastructure.
As a significant taxpayer in its operating countries, Stora Enso 
supports the sustainable development of societies and local 
businesses. For more information about the Group’s economic 
value creation, see Consolidated sustainability figures and 
country-by-country tax reporting. 
As part of managing its environmental impact and 
contributing to local communities, Stora Enso has, for example, 
partnered with WWF and Tornator to enhance forest streams in 
Finland. In 2023, the organisations joined forces to build 
spawning grounds for endangered trout and restored hundreds 
of meters of freshwater habitats with the help of nearly 90 
volunteers from Stora Enso.
Community consultations and land use
Local communities are consulted during the planning and 
decision-making stages of new investments. Community 
consultations, including Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), 
are a key element in Stora Enso’s human rights due diligence and 
forestry operations, especially concerning land leasing and 
indigenous peoples’ rights. 
In Bahia, Brazil, Stora Enso’s 50% joint operation with Veracel 
maintains good relations with local Pataxó and Tupinambá 
indigenous communities. Some of the indigenous communities 
are calling for the expansion of the Barra Velha Indian Reserve. 
The extension would cover hundreds of land properties, including 
3,219 hectares of land acquired by Veracel prior to the indigenous 
people’s first claim made to the land. At the end of 2023, this case 
was pending decision by the Ministry of Justice. Veracel remains 
committed to complying fully with the ministry’s eventual decision.
Ways of working
The community development programmes and initiatives 
defined in Stora Enso’s Community Investment Guidelines are 
categorised under three strategic focus areas: Education, 
Environment, and Resilient Local Communities. Projects are 
managed and funded locally to ensure that the communities close 
to the Group’s operations are the main beneficiaries, and local 
stakeholders are involved in the planning process to ensure 
the right benefits reach affected communities. The principles for 
donations and employee volunteering follow the same three 
strategic focus areas.
The Group’s tree plantations and land holdings are an integral 
part of local land use, and therefore sustainable land use 
practices are defined specifically for each location. Stora Enso is 
a major private forest owner in Sweden and a significant forestry 
26
Targets and performance
Increase the percentage of working hours 
and in-kind donations in the total 
Community Investment (CI) to 70% by 
2023, while also increasing the total CI
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 2023 2022 2021
Community Investment (CI): % of working 
hours and in-kind in the total CI  3 9  % 4 1  % 4 2  %
Not achieved – in 2023, the Community 
Investment target was closed. A new measurement 
reflecting the decentralised operating model is 
under consideration.
Key actions to drive performance
• Continued focus on building community resilience 
to the impacts of climate change and natural or 
man-made disasters
• Employee volunteering promoted to increase 
employee engagement and support to 
local communities 
• Community consultations to enhance accountability, 
transparency, and engagement 
For a full set of performance indicators and accounting 
principles, see the Consolidated sustainability figures.
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
58Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 59 =====

operator in both Finland and Sweden. Stora Enso acknowledges its responsibilities concerning 
the rights of the indigenous Sámi people residing in areas situated on or adjacent to its land or 
where the Group sources wood. Firmly established practices are in place for engaging in 
dialogue, and local Sámi communities are always consulted before undertaking any 
forestry operations.
Mitigating adverse impacts on communities
Stora Enso takes precautionary and systematic action to mitigate and remedy potential adverse 
environmental and social impacts on local stakeholders in community development and/or 
monitoring. These include: 
• Due diligence, in which the Company evaluates the impact that current or potential business 
operations may have on local communities and the environment. Community consultations 
are a key element of this work. For more information, see Human rights.
• Third-party certified management systems in place at production units that apply international 
standards such as ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 50001.
• Third-party forest management certification for the Group’s own forestry operations and 
suppliers, such as FSC and PEFC, which also include community considerations as 
a prerequisite.
• When necessary, restructuring processes and the closure of operations are realised in 
cooperation with the authorities to support communities through related changes and to 
create opportunities for new business initiatives. Read more in the ‘Our people’ section, 
Community engagement.
• Grievance mechanisms are available to communities close to the Group’s operations, 
read more in Human rights.
Long-term commitments with local communities in Brazil and Uruguay
The Pataxó and Tupinambá communities represent almost 25,000 indigenous people in 
Veracel, Brazil. In collaboration with indigenous communities, Veracel’s community liaison 
team plans activities that promote active dialogue and seek to preserve traditional culture. 
Activities range from awareness building on environmental topics to supporting educational 
programmes and cultural incentives. 
In Montes del Plata, Uruguay, the extensive community engagement programme 
includes, for example providing additional income to local farmers by enabling them to 
integrate eucalyptus plantations into their farms, and promoting cattle grazing and honey 
production on company lands. 
27
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
59Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 60 =====

Sustainable sourcing
In a world marked by geopolitical tensions and rising costs, businesses and supply chains face heightened uncertainty 
on a global scale. Additionally, stakeholders and EU regulations are calling for enhanced supply chain transparency. 
Sustainable supply chains play a pivotal role in advancing human rights, fair labour practices, ethical business conduct, 
and environmental responsibility. Stora Enso has, as a business with over 20,000 suppliers around the world, a significant 
influence within global supply chains. The Group's commitment to sustainable sourcing is underpinned by a comprehensive 
tendering process, proactive supplier engagement, strong risk management, and third-party supplier audits.
Progress
Emissions reductions in the supply chain
In 2023, Stora Enso took further steps in reducing CO2e 
emissions within the supply chain. The Group continued with 
accelerated efforts to automate its Scope 3 emissions accounting 
and increased the requirement for suppliers to submit primary 
data as part of the tendering process. Notably, the proportion of 
primary data for sourced chemicals now covers 49% of the CO2e 
emissions of the respective category. Stora Enso continues to 
engage with suppliers to gain greater visibility of their emissions 
reduction roadmaps and reduction targets.
 Downstream transportation represents 14% of the Group’s 
total Scope 3 CO2e emissions. Stora Enso works closely with 
logistics partners to identify and implement low-emission transport 
solutions for sold products to customers. An example of this is 
the shift from truck to intermodal rail deliveries which generates 
an approximate 65% reduction in emissions per tonne transported. 
Stora Enso also continued to expand the usage of electric 
solutions, such as electric trucks and electric forklifts in terminals. 
Other measures include the optimisation of the logistics network 
and efficiency measures, such as high load utilisation. 
Furthermore, the Group has taken an active decision to use 
biofuel to lower emissions in both maritime and land transport.
Supplier risk identification and audits
A thorough understanding of suppliers' sustainability risk 
exposure, coupled with well-structured preventive and mitigation 
actions, is key to conducting sustainable sourcing activities.
During the year, Stora Enso initiated a pilot programme to 
introduce a new sustainability risk identification tool aimed at 
enhancing its visibility on supplier sustainability risk exposure on 
both country and industry level. The pilot was conducted in 
collaboration with a third-party provider of sustainability risk data. 
Key findings included identification of potential new, high-risk 
purchasing categories and countries. In response to the findings, 
Stora Enso conducted internal assessments to pinpoint gaps in its 
existing risk identification processes and to improve the proactive 
prevention of sustainability violations within the supplier base. 
Emphasis was placed specifically on the evaluation of the tier 1 
supplier base, and in-depth evaluations of specific purchasing 
categories where heightened attention was deemed necessary. 
Based on the outcomes of the risk identification process, 
Stora Enso selected suppliers identified as being higher risk 
for third-party audits.
Stora Enso has also carried out deep-dive assessments to 
improve controls for two of its high-risk supply chains, see further 
details in Human rights.
During 2023, 25 Supplier Code of Conduct (SCoC) audits were 
conducted, primarily in China, with the majority relating to 
contracted manufacturing and labour agencies. Similar to previous 
years, the audits revealed non-conformities, related in particular to 
working hours, basic worker’s rights, and emergency 
preparedness. Stora Enso formulated corrective action plans for 
all cases with necessary follow-up. In addition, 22 Health, Safety, 
Environment, and Quality (HSEQ) audits were conducted in 2023 
mainly in Finland connected to contractors working on-site at 
our facilities.
Ways of working
The Supplier Code of Conduct is the cornerstone of the Group’s 
approach to responsible sourcing. It is a legally binding document 
that imposes sustainability requirements on the Group’s suppliers 
concerning human and labour rights, occupational health and 
safety, climate change, biodiversity, ethical recruitment, and 
reasonable remuneration for employees. Stora Enso’s 
commitment to the responsible sourcing of wood and fiber from 
sustainably managed forests and tree plantations is described in 
more detail in Sustainable forestry and biodiversity.
Stora Enso’s safety reporting tool, SMART4Safety, provides 
a platform to continuously monitor all contractor incidents at the 
Group’s units, to recognise patterns, and to identify those with 
an unacceptably high accident performance compared to peers. 
If such behaviour is identified, Stora Enso takes action to mitigate 
it. Read more about the Group’s safety work in Safety.
28
Targets and performance
Maintaining the proportion of total supplier 
spend covered by SCoC, including all 
categories and regions, at a minimum of 
95% 
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 2023 2022 2021
% of supplier spend covered by the 
Supplier Code of Conduct (SCoC)  9 5  % 9 6  % 9 6  %
Achieved – slight decline in the coverage level of the 
SCoC, but performance remains on target.
Key actions to drive performance
• Continuous work to ensure high coverage for 
the Supplier Code of Conduct (SCoC)
• Systematic reduction of CO2e emissions in 
the supply chain through incentives, training and 
knowledge sharing, and co-operation with suppliers 
• Improvements in digitalising Scope 3 emissions 
accounting for improved data accuracy and data-
driven decision-making
• Ensuring that processes and tools are in place for 
the responsible sourcing of wood fiber
For a full set of performance indicators and accounting 
principles, see the Consolidated sustainability figures.
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
60Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 61 =====

Screening and selection of suppliers
To engage in business with Stora Enso, all prospective suppliers are required to undergo a pre-
qualification process, which occurs during the tendering stage or, at the latest, prior to the drafting 
of a contract. To pre-qualify, suppliers must complete a questionnaire, submit confirmation of their 
compliance with the SCoC, provide data on their safety and CO2 performance, and complete 
a safety management online training called ‘Safety Trail’. The sustainability criteria are used to 
help make more balanced sourcing decisions and create incentives for suppliers to invest in 
sustainability performance. 
To complement the SCoC, Stora Enso has launched practical guidance for suppliers to 
support them in the implementation and interpretation of the SCoC requirements, and to share 
best practices. To place greater emphasis on climate action, Stora Enso also provides an e-
learning course for suppliers covering topics such as practical guidance on calculating GHG 
emissions and urging suppliers to reduce their emissions by setting ambitious emission targets.
Corrective actions for non-conformity
Whenever a suspected SCoC non-conformity is identified during supplier visits or audits, 
or brought to the Group's attention through grievance channels, Stora Enso initiates a thorough 
investigation. In cases of non-conformity, Stora Enso takes a collaborative approach by working 
with the supplier to implement a corrective action plan. This plan requires the supplier's 
commitment, and Stora Enso's purchasers monitor its execution. Should a supplier fail to 
implement the necessary corrective actions, Stora Enso engages in discussions to understand 
the reasons behind this and, if required, escalates these discussions to higher management. 
In cases where the level of criticality is deemed high, or if a supplier demonstrates an 
unwillingness to improve its performance, the business relationship is terminated. 
Payment terms
Stora Enso pays additional attention to small and medium-size suppliers when applying its 
standard payment terms, for example, with a shorter payment timeframe to help them remain 
financially stable.
Shift to electric truck at Skoghall in Sweden 
In 2023, Stora Enso collaborated with a freight company to launch the use of an  electric 
truck for the transportation of products from the Skoghall production site to the local 
warehouse, spanning a distance of 8.5 km. This transition from biofuel to green electricity 
is expected to reduce CO2e emissions by 93%, while also decreasing noise levels and air 
pollution due to minimal exhaust emissions. 
29
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
61Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 62 =====

Policies and guidelines 
Stora Enso's wide range of policies and guidelines state the commitment to responsible practices through out the business operations. 
For publicly available documents, see storaenso.com. 
Sustainability topic Relevant policies and guidelines
Overarching policy for all sustainability topics The Stora Enso Code
Climate change: emissions • Policy for Energy and Climate Change
• Environmental Guidelines
• Supplier Code of Conduct
• Practical Guidance for Stora Enso’s Suppliers*
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity • Wood and Fiber Sourcing and Land Management Policy
• Environmental Guidelines
• Supplier Code of Conduct
Circularity • Stora Enso Circular Design Guidelines 
• Stora Enso Environmental Guidelines 
• Supplier Code of Conduct
• Practical Guidance for Stora Enso’s Suppliers*
• Sustainable Sourcing Policy*
• Sustainable Sourcing Guidelines* 
Materials, residuals, and waste • Environmental Guidelines 
• Wood and Fiber Sourcing and Land Management Policy
• Supplier Code of Conduct 
• Practical Guidance for Stora Enso’s Suppliers*
• Sustainable Sourcing Policy* 
• Sustainable Sourcing Guideline*
Energy • Policy for Energy and Climate Change
• Environmental Guidelines
• Supplier Code of Conduct 
• Practical Guidance for Stora Enso’s Suppliers*
Water • Environmental Guidelines
• Wood and Fiber Sourcing and Land Management Policy
Sustainability topic Relevant policies and guidelines
Employees • Supplier Code of Conduct
• Minimum Human Resources Requirements for labour conditions*
• Global Framework Agreement
• Diversity Policy*
• Human Rights Policy 
• Human Rights Guidelines
• Occupational Health and Safety Policy
Safety • Occupational Health and Safety Policy 
• Supplier Code of Conduct 
• Global Framework Agreement 
• Human Rights Policy
• Human Rights Guidelines  
Business ethics • Business Practice Policy
• Data Privacy Policy* 
• Supplier Code of Conduct
Human rights** • Human Rights Policy
• Supplier Code of Conduct
• Human Rights Guidelines
• Environmental Guidelines
Community • Human Rights Policy
• Human Rights Guidelines  
• Sponsorship and Donations Policy* 
• Community Investment Guidelines* 
• Volunteering Guidelines*
Sustainable sourcing • Sustainable Sourcing Policy*
• Logistics Policy*
• Sustainable Sourcing Guideline*, Logistics Guideline*
• Practical Guidance for Stora Enso’s Suppliers*
30
* Internal documents not available online.
** Continuous or periodic monitoring of human rights due diligence with:
• Stora Enso Code
• Business Practice Policy
• Minimum Human Resources Requirements for labour conditions
• Supplier Code of Conduct
• Safety standards and tools for all units
• Grievance mechanisms
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
62Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines 62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 63 =====

Consolidation of sustainability statements
Data boundaries
Unless otherwise stated, the Group’s consolidated 
performance figures expressed in this report relate to 
the parent company, Stora Enso Oyj, and all companies in 
which the Group holds over 50% of the voting rights, directly 
or indirectly. In addition, the reporting on human rights, 
community, occupational safety, and sustainable forestry and 
biodiversity includes the joint operations at Veracel in Brazil 
and Montes del Plata in Uruguay. This is due to their 
materiality to the Group’s sustainability impacts and 
stakeholder interest in relation to these sustainability topics.
The Group’s consolidated environmental and energy 
figures include production units. The water and energy 
intensity figures normalised per tonne of sales production 
exclude Stora Enso’s wood product and packaging converting 
units. This is due to their low impact on the Group’s 
consolidated water and energy performance and different 
metrics for sales production (cubic metre and square metre, 
respectively), compared with water and energy-intensive 
board, pulp, and paper units (in tonnes).
In the Group’s environmental and energy reporting, 
divestments and closures are managed according to 
the international Greenhouse Gas Protocol. This means that, 
when necessary, figures for historical performance are 
restated following the removal of divested units from the 
baseline or the addition of acquired units to the baseline. 
However, closed units are included in the environmental 
targets, energy targets, and trend calculation baselines, 
as per internationally accepted rules.
Consolidated Human Resources (HR) figures exclude 
employees of the joint operations at Montes del Plata and 
Veracel. The HR figures cover permanent and temporary 
employees and are expressed as a year-end headcount.
Certain administrative functions and sales offices are not 
included in the Group’s consolidated occupational health and 
safety (OHS) figures due to limited data availability related to 
a relatively small headcount and lower occupational safety risk 
compared to production units.
When financial figures are reported as part of the 
sustainability statements, the figures are retrieved from 
the audited financial reporting based on the International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as applicable.
Stora Enso’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions are 
reported in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. 
Significant changes during 2023
During the year, Stora Enso completed the divestment of its 
paper units Hylte and Nymölla in Sweden and Maxau in 
Germany, as well as its wood products sawmill in Amsterdam, 
the Netherlands. The Group’s sustainability statements for 
2023 exclude these divestments, which were completed by 
the year-end.
Stora Enso also announced the closure of the Sunila pulp 
mill in Finland, the Näpi sawmill in Estonia and the De Hoop 
packaging site in the Netherlands. The Sunila and De Hoop 
production sites were closed during the second half of the 
year. Following the announcement of the Näpi sawmill closure 
in June 2023, Stora Enso has systematically ceased all 
ongoing operations at the site. In December, Stora Enso 
signed an agreement to sell the land, buildings, and further 
processing machinery to a local producer. The 2023 report 
includes data on the closed units. 
The acquisition of De Jong Packaging was completed in 
the beginning of January 2023. De Jong Packaging was 
added to the Group’s consolidation as of 2023.
For more information on the impact on employees of 
the Group’s restructuring during the year, see Employees, 
Support for responsible exists and restructuring situations. For 
more information on acquisitions and disposals, see 
Financials, note 4. Operating capital. For information on the 
Group’s investments in strategic growth areas, see Financials, 
Investments and capital expenditure.
In accordance with the GRI Standards
Stora Enso’s sustainability reporting is prepared in accordance 
with the GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards. The reporting 
covers all the General Disclosures as well as the topic-specific 
disclosures deemed material. The GRI Content Index lists 
Stora Enso’s disclosures with reference to the GRI Standards 
and refers to the location where these issues are addressed. 
The references are complemented with additional clarifications 
and reasons for omission as necessary.
Factors that render sustainability topics material to 
the Group can occur beyond the scope of its owned 
operations, or may only be material to some of the Group’s 
operations or locations. If the reporting is prepared with 
specific data boundaries, this is specified in the accounting 
principles for the respective disclosure (see Consolidated 
sustainability figures).
Application of SASB Standards
Stora Enso also reports in accordance with the standards of 
the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). 
The reporting is based on Forest Management and Containers 
& Packaging sector standards. For more information, see 
Stora Enso in capital markets and the SASB content index.
External assurance
Stora Enso’s sustainability reporting has been verified by 
an independent third-party assurance provider in accordance 
with the voluntary external assurance practices followed in 
sustainability reporting. The assurance report can be found in 
the Assurance Statement at the end of this Sustainability 
reporting section. PricewaterhouseCoopers has provided 
a level of Limited Assurance with GRI Standards serving as 
criteria covering the sustainability reporting as defined in 
Sustainability approach, governance, and stakeholders based 
on an assessment of materiality and risk. Since 2015, a level 
of Reasonable Assurance with GHG Protocol as criteria has 
been provided for Stora Enso’s reporting on direct and indirect 
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions (Scope 1 and 2).
The UN Global Compact
Stora Enso supports the ten principles of the United Nations 
Global Compact, an initiative set up in year 2000 to encourage 
businesses worldwide to embed sustainability into their 
operations. The Group respects and promotes these principles 
throughout its operations and addresses its Communication 
on Progress via the UN Global Compact website, as a public 
record of its commitment.
31
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
63Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 64 =====

Sustainability data by unit
This table presents unit-specific information on environmental performance, production, certificates, and number of employees.
Certificates Fossil CO2 emissions Water
Number of 
employeesa)
Production 
capacityb) Products
Recovered 
fiberc)
ISO 9001
ISO 14001
ISO 45001
ISO 50001
ISO 22000
FSSC 22000
ISO 28000
FDA
FSC® CoC
PEFC/CFCC CoC
BRC
Process 
waste to 
landfill
Hazardous 
wasted) SO2
e)
NOx as 
NO2
Direct, 
CO2
f)
Indirect 
CO2
f)
CO2 on-site 
transportf)
Carbon neutral 
CO2, biomass 
fuelsf) COD AOX Phosphorus Nitrogen
Total water 
withdrawal
Process 
water 
discharges
Unit 1,000 t t t t t t t t t t t t t 1,000 m3 1,000 m3
Belgium
Langerbruggeh) 344 555 ➃ x x x x x x x 32,120 86 8 260 176,688 9,430 1,460 505,810 1,007 1.1 4.3 23.3 8,392 6,372
Roeselare 13  g) ➂ 0 0 26 18
China
Beihaih) 452 630 ➀ x x x x x x x 303 77 150 161 369,852 5,730 1,011 92,066 265 2.2 24.4 8,554 7,640
Dongguan 499  30* ➂ x x x x 0 26 3,868 0 0 0 8 8
Qian´anh) 532  20* ➂ x x x x 0 2 4,850 8 0 0 0 46 0
Wujinh) 456  20* ➂ x x x 0 59 6 0 24 24
Estonia
Tallinn 32  15* ➂ x x x x x x 0 1 77 7 1
Finland
Anjala/Ingerois 553 435/310 ➃ ➀ x x x x xi) x x 0 136 6 214 62,306 0 231 162,554 1,237 1.6 43.2 24,030 7,695
Enocell 272 630 ➁ x x x x x x 3,651 36 97 672 38,665 0 108 1,109,504 8,456 49.5 2.9 37.8 55,609 19,372
Heinola Fluting 226 300 ➀ x x x x x x x 738 254 396 219 102,486 0 136 176,100 1,143 2.1 16.1 10,048 1,473
Imatra 1,148 1,685 ➀ ➁ x x x x x x x x x 157 553 58 1,499 146,440 0 1,165 1,962,610 13,290 51.0 11.5 179.4 87,145 54,603
Kristiinankaupunki 58  25* ➂ x x x x x x x x 0 2 1 117 0 24 1 1
Lahti 278  140* ➂ x x x x x x x x 0 398 3,588 166 5 0 0.4 29 19
Oulu 360 450 ➀ ➁ x x x x x x x x 40 182 25 741 10,226 0 919 796,187 1,484 0 2.9 28.8 30,187 14,547
Sunilaj) 219 375 ➁ ➄ x x x x x x 1,634 64 42 151 13,123 0 313 253,493 2,130 9.3 2.3 11.8 15,759 5,787
Varkaus 283 405 ➀ ➁ x x x x x x x x 2,264 51 125 371 42,927 0 466 661,839 2,200 3.9 57.3 27,840 16,362
Germany
Augsburg 17  g) ➂ x 0 0 398 64 11 3
Heidelberg 155  g) ➂ x x x 0 0 746 614 94 1
Sausenheim 184  g) ➂ x x x 0 0 2,377 1,452 42 9 3
St. Ingbert 9  g) ➂ x x 0 0 27 71 0 0
Latvia
Riga 174  120* ➂ x x x x x x x 0 47 2 1,962 147 17 17
Lithuania
Kaunas 56  20* ➂ x x x x x x 0 1 73 34 1
Netherlands
Aalsmeer 50  g) ➂ x 0 0 3 159
De Lier 398  g) ➂ x x 0 6 7,822 5,811 296 43 0
Dronten 47  g) ➂ x x 0 0 255
Eerbeek De Hoopj) 163 380 ➀ x x x x x x 272 40 60 91,993 3,076 252 2,577 157 2.0 9.0 1,350 1,100
Eerbeek Felco 28  g) ➂ x x 0 195 132 0 2 1
32
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
64Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 65 =====

Certificates Fossil CO2 emissions Water
Number of 
employeesa)
Production 
capacityb) Products
Recovered 
fiberc)
ISO 9001
ISO 14001
ISO 45001
ISO 50001
ISO 22000
FSSC 22000
ISO 28000
FDA
FSC® CoC
PEFC/CFCC CoC
BRC
Process 
waste to 
landfill
Hazardous 
wasted) SO2
e)
NOx as 
NO2
Direct 
CO2
f)
Indirect 
CO2
f)
CO2 on-site 
transportf)
Carbon neutral 
CO2, biomass 
fuelsf) COD AOX Phosphorus Nitrogen
Total water 
withdrawal
Process 
water 
discharges
Unit 1,000 t t t t t t t t t t t t t 1,000 m3 1,000 m3
Eerbeek Rudico 32  g) ➂ x 0 13 93 0
Roosendaal 64  g) ➂ x x 0 0 19 270
Venlo 15  g) ➂ x 0 0 38 176
Poland
Łódzh) 254  130* ➂ x x x x x x x 0 1 0 2 2,401 1,248 77 19 10
Mosinah) 93  20* ➂ x x x x x x x 0 75 241 29 1 1
Ostrołeka 
Containerboardk) 752 780 ➀ ➃ x x x x x x x 0 50 55 442 201,231 120 1,263 447,067 842 4.4 70.4 13,883 9,235
Ostrołęka Corrugatedk) 272  140* ➂ x x x x x x x 0 2 3,761 82
Tychy 184  120* ➂ x x x x x x x 0 3 2,623 93 19 12
Sweden
Falu Rödfärg l) ➅ x x 0 10,770 461 15 21
Fors 487 455 ➀ x x x x x x x 0 54 7 95 82 217,579 1,555 0.3 1.3 26.0 5,648 4,351
Hylte Formed Fiber 58 60** ➂ x 0 0 1 0 2 133 58
Jönköping 168  100* ➂ x x x x x x x 0 38 252 411 20 18 2
Skene 60  20* ➂ x x x x x 0 102 4 0 6 6
Skoghall 640 945 ➀ x x x x x x x 5,554 935 148 430 59,963 129 1,601 898,912 8,793 16.0 10.7 78.8 38,703 26,477
Skoghall (Forshaga) 114 120 ➀ x x x x x x x x 0 8 857 3 115 8 0
Skutskär 440 545 ➁ x x x x x x 0 131 104 713 21 2,170 1,241,919 3,760 20.8 13.9 95.6 53,259 18,764
Vikingstad 60  85* ➂ x x x x x x 0 0 800 56 19 19
United Kingdom
Ellesmere Port 42 ➂ 0 0 149
Total board, pulp, 
paper, converted 
products 9,000m) 46,732 14,398 1,221 6,031 1,337,345 45,501 12,380 8,528,218 46,325 148 66 702 380,835 193,959
Total, wood products n)
Wood Products 
unitsn) n) n) n) n) n) n) n) n) n) n) n) 3,980 1,387 15 388 4,456 5,446 19,532 411,884
Grand total
All units 50,712 15,785 1,236 6,419 1,341,801 50,948 31,912 8,940,102 46,325 148 66 702 380,835 193,959
33
a) Yearly average as full-time equivalents.
b) Production capacities of integrated pulp, paper, and board mills only include paper, board, and barrier coating production capacities.
c) Mills using recovered fibre as raw material (fully or partially).
d) Reported on the basis of country-specific definitions applied in national regulations.
e) Total sulphur is reported as sulphur dioxode (SO2) equilevant, but includes all sulphurous compounds.
f) CO2 figures are calculated using the WRI/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol and Scope 2 Guidance.
g) Capacities of the acquired units excluded for 2023.
h) Unit located in region with high baseline water stress according to the WRI Water Aqueduct Tool.
i) FSSC 22000 for board production at Ingerois.
j) The Sunila and Eerbeek DeHoop production sites were closed during the second half of the year.
k) Water discharges reported together from both Ostrołeka units.
l) Does not have its own personnel but hires personnel from Stora Enso AB.
m) Excluding total capacities for corrugated board 935 million m2, consumer packaging 70 m2 and formed fiber 60 million pieces.
n) See separate table on the next page for Wood Products units.
The divestment of Nymölla mill was completed in January 2023, Maxau mill in March 2023, Hylte Paper in April 2023, and Hylte Circular 
Solutions in November 2023. Hence the units are not presented in this ‘Sustainability data by unit’ table. 
Products: 
➀ board and packaging paper 
➁ market pulp 
➂ converted products (e.g. cores, corrugated board, formed fibre, granules)
➃ paper 
➄ lignin 
➅ red paint pigment
The figure 0 (zero) in the table signifies that such discharges, emissions, or waste did 
not occur or they were below the Group’s reporting threshold. Where cells are left blank, 
this signifies that the parameter is considered as not relevant for that unit.
Certificate documents can be found at storaenso.com/certificates.
* million m2
** million pcs
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
65Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 66 =====

Capacities Certificates
Number of 
employeesa)
Sawn 
products
Further 
processed CLT
Wood 
pellets LVL 
ISO 
9001
ISO 
14001
ISO 
45001
ISO 
50001
FSC® 
CoC
PEFC 
CoC SBP 
Process 
waste to 
landfill
Hazardous 
wasteb) SO2
NOx as 
NO2
Direct 
CO2
c)
Indirect 
CO2
c)
CO2, on-site 
transportationc)
Carbon neutral 
CO2 from 
biomassc)
Unit 1,000 m3 1,000 m3 1,000 m3 1,000 t 1,000 m3 t t t t t t t t
Wood Products units 
Austria
Bad St. Leonhard 262 360 105 80  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 50 3 881
Brand 207 440 295  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 39 0.0 5 1,542
Ybbs 410 700 450 110  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 97 7 2,407
Czech Republic
Planá 238 390 220  x  x  x  x  x  x 347 19 0.8 29 1,614 25,309
Ždírec 441 580 220 40 80  x  x  x  x  x  x 3,633 36 0.9 142 2,128 128,645
Estonia
Imavere 296 350 160 100  x  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 47 4.9 49 1,533 56,203
Näpid) 73 50 180 25  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 40 0.3 3 7 205 3,203
Finland
Honkalahti 130 310 70  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 26 1.1 18 97 0 787 31,602
Uimaharjue) 86 240  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 7 0 0 471 615
Varkaus 154 260 120 30 85  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 16 2,600 856
Veitsiluoto 54 200  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 494
Latvia
Launkalne 209 270 70 50  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 6 0.1 35 1,612 1,393 37,259
Lithuania
Alytus 273 210 115  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 34 1.8 15 1,027 26,579
Poland
Murow 292 300 210  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 925 2.7 21 1,196 28,736
Sweden
Ala 140 400 50 100  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 37 2.0 60 10 1,612 74,348
Gruvön 208 370 150 80 100  x  x  x  x  x  x 0 7 0.5 3 2,740 2,366 1,243
Wood Products units total 5,430 2,415 310 485 85 3,980 1,387 15 388 4,456 5,446 19,532 411,884
34
a) Yearly average as full-time equivalents.
b) Reporting is based on country-specific definitions applied in national regulations.
c) All CO2 figures are calculated using the WRI/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol and Scope 2 Guidance.
d) Operations at the Näpi sawmill were ceased during the second half of the year.
e) Uimaharju sawmill belongs to division Biomaterials.
The divestment of Amsterdam DYI (Do It Yourself) unit was completed in August 2023. Hence the unit is not 
presented in this ‘Sustainability data by unit’ table.
Certificate documents can be found at storaenso.com/certificates.
The figure 0 (zero) in the table signifies that such discharges, emissions, or waste did not occur or they 
were below the Group’s reporting threshold. Where cells are left blank, this signifies that the parameter 
is considered as not relevant for that unit.
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
66Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 67 =====

Consolidated sustainability figures
Climate change: emissions
 Accounting principles
In its greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting, Stora Enso follows the three standards provided by the Greenhouse Gas 
Protocol of the World Resource Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development: the ‘GHG 
Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard’, the ‘GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance’, and the ‘Corporate Value 
Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard’. Stora Enso uses the operational control approach to 
consolidate these standards. The science-based targets to reduce GHG emissions are reported as a percentage 
change from the baseline, which is annually updated to reflect the current Company structure.
Scope 1 and 2 emissions include direct and indirect GHG emissions, calculated as fossil CO2 equivalents 
(CO2e), from all production units, excluding joint operations. In addition to CO2, other relevant GHG emissions 
for Stora Enso are methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), which are generated when using fossil and 
biomass fuels in the units’ power boilers. These gases are converted to CO2e using respective global 
warming potential based on the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 
(IPCC), or fuel-specific CO2 emission factors based on analysis at the site.
Scope 2 GHG emissions are calculated based on purchased electricity and heat. The CO2 emission factors 
used for purchased energy largely follow the market-based methodology, which means that almost all units apply 
CO2 factors provided by their energy suppliers. When these are not available, the Group applies the country specific 
residual mix factor. In the absence of residual mix factors, the most recent location-based factors provided by 
the International Energy Agency (IEA) are used. Scope 2 includes the trading of Guarantees of Origin for electricity. 
Scope 3 emissions include fossil CO2e emissions from other sources along the value chain of all 
production units. Stora Enso applies an activity-based methodology for Scope 3 accounting, which means 
that the emissions are estimated based on the volumes of sourced inputs and the delivered products. 
Material emission categories included in Scope 3 emissions are reviewed annually.
Stora Enso’s carbon footprint
Unit 2023 2022 2021
Reduction of production units’ absolute fossil CO2e 
emissions (Scope 1 and 2) %  -41 %  -27 %  -13 %
Reduction of absolute fossil CO2e emissions in supply 
chain, transportation and customer operations (Scope 3) %  -34 %  -24 %  3  %
Scope 1: Direct emissions from operations1 CO2-eq, million tonnes 1.47 1.80 2.15
Scope 2: Emissions from purchased energy consumed in 
operations1, 2 CO2-eq, million tonnes 0.05 0.08 0.10
Scope 3: Emissions from other sources along the value 
chain CO2-eq, million tonnes
Harvesting and wood transportation CO2-eq, million tonnes 0.33 0.38 0.42
Fuels and energy (production and transportation) CO2-eq, million tonnes 0.31 0.39 0.44
Purchased materials (production and transportation) CO2-eq, million tonnes 1.68 2.01 2.23
Transportation and distribution of products to 
customers CO2-eq, million tonnes 0.68 0.79 0.89
Processing of products by customers CO2-eq, million tonnes 1.95 2.13 3.74
Scope 3 total1 CO2-eq, million tonnes 4.95 5.69 7.72
CO2-eq, million tonnes 6.47 7.57 9.97
1 All historical figures are restated due to structural changes or additional data after the previous annual report. Restatement led to 
changes in the historical figures. Total emissions changed from 10.14 to 9.97 in 2021, and 7.97 to 7.57 in 2022. Baseline 2019, which is 
not presented in this table, changed from 10.87 to 10.04.
2 The CO2 factors used for purchased energy (Scope 2) largely follow the market-based methodology, which means that almost all 
Stora Enso units apply CO2 factors provided by their energy suppliers. When applying available residual factors, location-based Scope 2
emissions for 2023 are 0.51 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents (0.60 million tonnes in 2022).
Stora Enso’s carbon footprint 2019–20231, 2
Fossil CO2 equivalent (million tonnes) Trend
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2019-2023
Scope 1 2.29 2.09 2.15 1.80 1.47  -36 %
Scope 23 0.29 0.19 0.10 0.08 0.05  -83 %
Scope 3 7.46 7.20 7.72 5.69 4.95  -34 %
Total emissions 10.04 9.48 9.97 7.57 6.47  -36 %
1 Covers Stora Enso production units. Excluding joint operations. Includes the trading of Guarantees of Origin for electricity.
2 All historical figures are restated due to structural changes or additional data after the previous report. For more information, 
see Consolidation of sustainability statements. 
3 The CO2 factors we use for purchased energy (Scope 2) largely follow the market-based methodology, which means that almost all our 
units apply CO2 factors provided by their energy suppliers. When applying available residual factors, location-based Scope 2
emissions for 2023 are 0.51 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents (0.60 million tonnes in 2022).
35
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
67Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80
Sustainability reporting

===== SIDA 68 =====

Sustainable forestry and biodiversity
 Accounting principles
Figures for land areas, their forest certification coverage, carbon sink, and storage include Stora Enso’s own 
forest assets. For more information, see note 4.2 Forest assets. The joint operations Veracel in Brazil and 
Montes del Plata in Uruguay, and the equity-accounted investment in Tornator, Finland, are consolidated 
based on Stora Enso’s ownership stakes in these companies.
Wood procurement and its forest certification coverage include total amounts of wood (roundwood and 
chips) procured within regions for delivery to Stora Enso’s units (million m3, solid under bark). Figures include 
50% of the wood procurement of the 50% owned joint operations Veracel and Montes del Plata. 
Accounting methods of forest carbon sinks and storage are not standardised, and the selected method 
and reporting period impact the results. Stora Enso has estimated the carbon sequestration by the Group’s 
own productive forests using historical data as an annual average over the past three years. In sustainably 
managed forests, carbon sink and storage levels are maintained or increased over the forests’ management 
cycle. During this cycle, harvesting and natural disturbances, growth rates related to forest ages and types, 
and potential other events result in short-term variations in the carbon sinks and storage. 
Biodiversity indicators include the compliance ratios of inspected harvesting sites against Stora Enso’s 
specific biodiversity indicators for Sweden, Finland, and the Baltics. The consolidated ratios across the three 
regions are weighted averages using the harvested volumes in each region as a weight. Approach applied for 
2023 is different than in 2022, where weighting was done based on number of harvesting sites in region. 
Historical figures are restated for comparability, no material impact on results. 
Compliance rate of biodiversity 
impact indicators1 Unit 2023 2022 2021
High stumps %  8 4  %  7 1  %  7 0  %
Ground deadwood %  8 1  %  8 4  %  9 2  %
Soil and water %  9 6  %  9 5  %  8 6  %
Habitats %  9 8  %  8 5  %  8 9  %
Tree retention %  8 7  %  8 7  %  8 9  %
Buffer zones %  9 1  %  9 3  % n/a
Total %  9 0  %  8 6  %  8 7  %
1 Historical figures are restated due to a change in the accounting method. No material impact on results.
Key forest related figures Unit 2023 2022 2021
Owned or leased lands million ha 2.02 2.01 2.01
Total amount of wood delivered to Stora Enso’s sites million m3 28.1 35.1 37.6
% of third-party certified wood of total wood supply %  8 1  %  8 0  %  7 7  %
% of wood from own sources or long-term 
supply agreements %  3 6  %  3 0  %  2 8  %
% of wood from managed semi-natural forests 
in Europe %  8 4  %  8 7  %  8 8  %
% of wood from tree plantations %  1 6  %  1 3  %  1 2  %
% of the owned and leased lands in wood 
production and harvesting covered by forest 
certification schemes %  9 9  %  9 9  %  9 9  %
Annual CO2 sequestration in owned or leased 
productive forest lands, 3-years annual average million tonnes 4.3 5.3 5.0
Total CO2 stored in Stora Enso's productive forest 
as of 31.12.2023 million tonnes 285 285 283
36
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
68Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80
Sustainability reporting

===== SIDA 69 =====

Annual forest growth and harvesting 
and total standing stock1 Unit 2023 2022 2021
Estimated annual forest growth million m3 fo 12.8 13.6 13.2
Stora Enso's own forests, Sweden 5.8 5.8 5.8
Tornator (41%) 1.5 1.5 1.4
Guangxi 1.3 1.3 1.6
Montes del Plata (50%) 2.0 3.2 2.6
Veracel (50%) 2.2 1.8 1.8
Annual harvesting million m3 fo 10.5 10.7 9.9
Stora Enso's own forests, Sweden 4.2 4.6 4.4
Tornator (41%) 1.4 1.3 1.3
Guangxi 1.2 1.2 1.3
Montes del Plata (50%) 2.3 1.8 1.6
Veracel (50%) 1.3 1.7 1.2
Total standing stock million m3 fo 208.4 208.1 207.0
Stora Enso's own forests, Sweden 149.7 150.5 150.5
Tornator (41%) 33.4 32.8 32.7
Guangxi 4.3 4.1 4.9
Montes del Plata (50%) 15.0 15.5 13.9
Veracel (50%) 6.1 5.2 4.9
1 Figures cover productive area. Million m3 fo refers to million forest cubic meters.
Forests, plantations and lands as of 31 December 20231 
Unit Area
Certification 
coverage
Details of local landscapes 
and protected areas
Owned lands
Swedish forest 
holdings
1,383,000 ha, of 
which 1,139,000 
productive forest land
PEFC and FSC for 
1,383,000 ha
Protected areas total to 448,000 ha and consist 
of productive or non-productive land which has 
been set-aside from wood production and 
infrastructure development either voluntarily or 
by legal requirements.
Montes del Plata 
plantations and lands, 
Uruguay (50% owned 
joint operation with 
Arauco)
190,000 ha, of which 
110,000 ha planted 
for pulp production
PEFC and FSC for 
190,000 ha
Protected areas total to 77,000 ha and consist 
of remnants of native ecosystems, such as 
grasslands and riparian forests, within the 
company’s lands. Local landscape consists 
mainly of pasturelands and agricultural fields.
Veracel plantations 
and lands, Bahia, 
Brazil (50% owned 
joint operation with 
Suzano)
209,000 ha, of which 
82,000 ha planted for 
pulp production
CERFLOR (PEFC) 
for 188,000 ha; FSC 
for 188,000 ha
Protected areas total to 105,000 ha, including 
a 6,000 ha Private Natural Heritage Reserve, 
and mostly consist of native forest remnants at 
different stages of regeneration. Local 
landscape consists of pasturelands and 
agricultural fields cleared from Atlantic 
rainforest between the 1950s and 1980s. 
Tornator (41%-owned 
associated company)
Finland 677,000 ha, of which 
606,000 productive 
forest land
PEFC for 677,000 ha 
and FSC for 
677,000 ha
Protected areas total to 62,000 ha and consist 
of productive and non-productive land which 
has been set-aside from harvesting either 
voluntarily or by legal requirements.
Estonia 65,000 ha, of which 
57,000 productive 
forest land
PEFC for 65,000 ha 
and FSC for 
65,000 ha
Protected areas total to 2,600 ha.
Romania 12,000 ha, of which 
12,000 productive 
forest land
PEFC for 12,000 ha 
and FSC for 
12,000 ha
Protected areas total to 160 ha.
Leased lands
Plantations and 
lands, Guangxi, 
China
70,000 ha, of which 
61,000 ha planted 
Chinese Forest 
Certification Council 
certificate (PEFC) for 
70,000 ha; FSC for 
70,000 ha
Protected areas total to 3,700 ha and consist 
of buffer zones and other important areas for 
protection of watersheds and native flora and 
fauna. No pristine ecosystems are found in 
the leased lands. Local mosaic landscape 
includes agricultural crop fields, forest 
plantations, and settlements.  
Montes del Plata 86,000 ha, of which 
74,000 ha planted
PEFC and FSC for 
80,000 ha
Protected areas total 11,000 ha and consist 
of remnants of native ecosystems, such as 
grasslands and riparian forests. Local landscape 
consists mainly of pasturelands and agricultural 
fields. In most of the leased areas, protected 
areas are excluded from lease agreements.
Veracel 23,000 ha, of which 
9,000 ha planted
CERFLOR (PEFC) 
for 14,000 ha; FSC 
for 14,000 ha
Protected areas total to 10,000 ha and consist 
of native forest remnants at different stages 
of regeneration.
1 Reported as total areas of the companies. Stora Enso’s share corresponds to the ownership share. Includes operations where 
Stora Enso’s shareholding is significant and the size of the area exceeds 1,000 hectares.
37
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
69Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80
Sustainability reporting

===== SIDA 70 =====

Circularity, materials, residuals, and waste
 Accounting principles
Product circularity is calculated based on the technical recyclability of products and their production volumes 
consolidated as tonnes. Technical recyclability is defined by international standards and tests when available, 
such as CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries) and PTS (Papiertechnische Stiftung), and in 
the absence of these, by Stora Enso’s own tests that prove recyclability. The reporting scope includes Stora 
Enso’s packaging, pulp, paper, and solid wood products as well as biochemical by-products. 
Material use by type covers renewable and non-renewable process raw materials used for products and 
their packaging as delivered to Stora Enso’s production units, including joint operations. In 2023, 
approximately 96% of the materials were renewable: wood, recycled board and paper, and starch. For 
recycled board and paper and purchased paper and pulp, 90% of the weight is estimated as renewable 
content. Other process raw materials are largely or entirely non-renewable: pigments and fillers, chemicals, 
and plastics. Wood is converted from delivered cubic meters to fresh tonnes (including water content) by 
using an average conversion factor for tree species processed by Stora Enso. Plastics used for products 
and their packaging include fossil-based virgin plastics 45,900 tonnes, bio-based virgin plastics 3,900 tonnes, 
and recycled plastics 630 tonnes.
Residuals and waste in the Group’s production processes are measured by the process residuals utilisation 
rate, covering process waste and residuals, such as ash, sludge, chips, and wood waste from production units. 
Utilisation includes energy generation, landscaping, landfill construction, road construction, pulp manufacturing, 
brick and cement manufacturing, and agricultural use, as well as new approaches and products. The scope 
excludes sawdust and wood cutting savings for internal pellets production. Tall oil, turpentine, lignin, sodium 
biosulphite, biocomposite, and soap, are considered products and therefore excluded. The figures cover 
process-related residuals and waste from all production units, excluding joint operations. Residuals and waste 
that do not relate to production processes are reported separately. The figures are consolidated as dry tonnes.
Utilisation rate for Paper for Recycling (PfR) is calculated by dividing the total deliveries of PfR to Group’s 
units by the total production of board and paper, following the definition of CEPI. 
Key figures for circularity, materials, residuals, and waste Unit 2023 2022 2021
% of technically recyclable products %  94%  9 4  %  9 4  %
Process residuals utilisation rate %  99%  9 9  %  9 8  %
Total process material use, (fresh tonnes) million tonnes 32.8 40.9 41.1
Share of renewable materials in total process material use %  96%  9 6  %  9 5  %
Process waste and residuals generated, (dry tonnes)1 million tonnes 3.7 4.1 3.4
 - of which recycled and used internally or externally %  99%  9 9  %  9 8  %
 - of which landfilled %  1  %  1  %  2  %
Hazardous waste1, 2 tonnes 5,020 6,380 7,970
Sludge, classified as hazardous waste3 tonnes 10,770 6,890 10,140
Process waste sent to on-site storage facilities1 tonnes 43,460 48,870 59,920
Non-process related waste, recycled tonnes 100,240 30,600 26,750
Non-process related waste, to landfill1, 4 tonnes 100,020 4,540 5,050
Usage of Paper for Recycling (PfR)1 million tonnes 1.4 1.3 1.4
PfR utilisation rate in paper and board production1 %  28%  2 3  %  2 3  %
1 Historical figures are restated due to structural changes or additional data after the previous annual report. 
2 Including oils, solvents, paints, laboratory chemicals and batteries that are transported and processed by authorised contractors.
3 Generated at the disused Falun copper mine in Sweden and handled by an authorised contractor.
4The comparability of the figure for 2023 is impacted by 93,400 tonnes of contaminated soil to landfill resulting from the conversion project 
at the Oulu site in Finland.
38
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
70Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80
Sustainability reporting

===== SIDA 71 =====

Energy
 Accounting principles
Unless otherwise stated, the energy figures cover all of Stora Enso’s production units, excluding joint 
operations. Energy consumption figures mostly exclude real estate facilities due their low materiality, as well 
as heat used for electricity generation, sold energy, and on-site transportation. Local factors are used at 
the units when calculating the energy content of the used fuels. The majority of Stora Enso’s heat 
consumption is consumed in the form of steam. 
Electricity purchased from Pohjolan Voima Oyj (PVO) – where Stora Enso is a minority shareholder with 
a 15.7% ownership stake – is counted in own electricity generation. Projected energy savings include savings 
from the investments for which the reporting year is the first year with a full year impact. The energy saving is 
reported as a percentage reduction compared to the total energy consumption during the year without 
efficiency investments. In general, the full-year impact of an energy saving investment is apparent in 
the following year after implementation. The projected energy savings exclude packaging converting units 
and joint operations. 
For other local air emissions, reporting is based on unit-specific direct measurement and calculations 
of emissions.
Key figures for energy Unit 2023 2022 2021
Total energy consumption1 TWh 22.82 30.20 33.78
Heat consumption1 TWh 16.2 21.1 23.2
Electricity consumption1 TWh 6.6 9.1 10.6
Total energy consumption, 
MWh/tonne of saleable production1 MWh/tonne 3.72 3.71 3.83
Total fuel consumption TWh 29.3 37.5 41.2
Sold heat, external TWh 0.4 0.6 0.8
Sold electricity, external2 TWh 0.6 0.1 0.1
Share of own electricity generation in total 
electricity consumption %  7 9  %  6 3  %  5 8  %
1 Includes only board, pulp and paper units due to the metric for normalisation (tonne).
2 Historical figures are restated. Figure for 2022 changed from 0.2 to 0.1 TWh and figure for 2021 from 0.3 to 0.1 TWh.
District heating to local communities Unit 2023 2022 2021
Number of sites generating energy for 11 14 14
Local district heating systems %  7 7  %  8 7  %  9 1  %
Industrial partners %  2 3  %  1 3  %  9  %
Local air emissions Unit 2023 2022 2021
SO2 emissions1 tonnes  1,240  1,590  1,720 
NOx emission1 tonnes  6,420  7,480  8,270 
Emissions of fine particles1 tonnes  1,170  1,380  1,110 
VOC emissions1 tonnes  1,460  1,640  1,600 
ODS, ozone-depleting substances kg  1,082 N/A N/A
1 Historical figures are restated due to structural changes or additional data after the previous annual report. Due to the restatement, 
historical figures are approximately lower than reported in 2022.
Projected total energy savings Unit 2023 2022 2021
Projected energy savings, % (MWh saved/
MWh total energy used, electricity, heat, and fuels) %  -0.7%  -1.1%  -0.6% 
Projected annual energy savings GWh 173 370 211
Investments %  81%  95%  64% 
Operations %  2%  4%  35% 
Other %  17%  1%  1% 
Energy and water efficiency fund Unit 2023 2022 2021
Energy and water efficiency fund, total size EUR million 14 10 11
Number of projects financed 35 29 37
Projected annual energy savings GWh 161 84 163
Projected annual water savings million m3 3.0 2.7 1.9
Equivalent of Stora Enso’s energy consumption1 %  0.7%  0.3 %  0.4 %
1 Includes board, pulp, and paper units.
39
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
71Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80
Sustainability reporting

===== SIDA 72 =====

Water
 Accounting principles
Total water withdrawal includes process water and cooling and non-contact water intakes by all industrial units 
as cubic metres (m3). Process water discharges include the discharges of all industrial units as cubic metres 
(m3). The water withdrawal and discharges are normalised by dividing water m3 with the total production of 
board, pulp, and paper as saleable tonnes (t) during the same period. In 2022, the Group implemented 
a standardised procedure to report water at board, pulp, and paper units, where cooling and process water 
flows are measured in different positions at the units. Due to this, the calculated figures do not always 
correspond to the measured figures of total water withdrawal. The Group continuously improves the accuracy 
of water reporting and consolidation of data.
The reported water consumption includes estimated water in products, residuals, and waste, as well as 
volumes of evaporated water to air from process water cooling towers, from wastewater treatment plants and 
from cooling towers for non-contact water at the Group’s mills. Sawmills, corrugated production units, and 
joint operations are excluded from the consumption figures. Historical figures are restated due to 
organisational changes or reporting corrections after the previous report. The calculation of water 
consumption builds on the Confederation of European Paper Industries’ (CEPI) method of describing water 
use and consumption, and the Swedish Environmental Research Institute’s (IVL) report on Water Profile for 
the Swedish forest industry.
Board, pulp, and paper production sites monitor process water discharges, amounts of suspended solids, 
chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon, phosphorous, nitrogen and absorbable organic halogen 
compounds, and water temperature and pH. Monitoring and reporting are conducted daily, monthly, 
or annually depending on the sites’ operations and environmental permits.
Water withdrawal, consumption, 
and discharges1 Unit 2023 2022 2021
Total water withdrawal million m3 385 433 457
Process water withdrawal million m3 216 234 260
Cooling water (net) withdrawal million m3 166 190 196
Total water withdrawal per saleable tonne of 
board, pulp, and paper m3/tonne 61 57 54
Water consumption2 million m3 15 16 18
Water consumption2 m3/tonne 2.4 2.1 2.1
Process water discharges million m3 197 224 236
Process water discharge per saleable tonne of 
board, pulp, and paper m3/tonne 35 34 33
1 All historical figures are restated due to structural changes after the previous annual report. Due to the restatement, the historical figures 
are approximately 15% lower than reported in 2022. 
2  Water consumption data from De Hoop unit not available for years 2022 and 2021.
Water effluents1 Unit 2023 2022 2021
Nitrogen tonnes  708  747  932 
Phosphorus tonnes  66  77  75 
Chemical oxygen demand tonnes  46,340  59,090  67,040 
Suspended solids tonnes  4,660  5,030  6,170 
Adsorbable organic compounds (AOX) tonnes  148  214  206 
1 All historical figures are restated due to structural changes after the previous annual report. Water effluents data from De Hoop unit not 
available for years 2022 and 2021.
Environmental incidents
 Accounting principles
Reporting includes environmental incidents involving non-compliance with environmental legislation 
or permits, or a significant stakeholder concern related to environmental performance. Reporting covers 
production units and forestry operations, excluding joint operations. For an overview of environmental 
incidents and non-compliances, see Environmental incidents. In 2023, Stora Enso paid 34,900 EUR in 
environmental fines and penalties. 6,500 EUR of the fines were related to incidents in 2023, 10,900 EUR 
to incidents in 2022, and 17,400 EUR to incidents in 2021. 
Environmental incidents 2023 2022 2021
Number of significant non-compliance events1  14  16  8 
1 Historical figures are restated due to additional data after the previous annual report. The figure for 2022 changed from 15 to 16. 
Employees
 Accounting principles
Stora Enso’s employee figures reflect the end-of-year situation, except the average number of full-time 
equivalents (FTE), and the employee turnover. The average number of full-time equivalents is calculated as 
an average of full-time equivalent per month and includes 50% of the employees at Veracel in Brazil and at 
Montes del Plata in Uruguay. The headcount in the employee turnover formula is based on average 
monthly headcount.
The share of females managers is calculated as the headcount of all permanent managers with at least 
one direct report. The manager must be permanent, but the subordinates can be temporary or permanent. 
Excludes joint operations.
In addition to own employees, Stora Enso’s units typically have contractor employees working at the sites. 
Annual maintenance also creates a peak in the number of contractor workers at the Group’s production units 
for a short period. Many of the production units, particularly in Finland and Sweden, also have a systematic 
approach to employing students as interns for shorter periods during the summer holiday season. Stora Enso 
also relies on contractors in its De Jong units, and forestry operations and Packaging units in China. 
The number of contractor employees is not consolidated on Group level. 
The median annual total compensation for all employees excludes the President and CEO. 2023 data 
includes only base salary, and excludes the De Jong Packaging Group units and joint operations. System 
development is ongoing to ensure better data coverage going forward. No comparative data available due to 
a system change in 2023.
Female employees’ compensation compared to male employees’ compensation is calculated as 
a weighted average within each country’s employee categories, as applicable. Includes the four largest 
countries in terms of the total number of employees.
Stora Enso’s lowest wages as compared to local minimum wages are presented for locations chosen 
based on an internal assessment including any human rights risks, compared to minimum wages set at 
the national, state, or provincial level as applicable. The ratio shows how many times larger the Group’s 
lowest wage is, compared to the local minimum wage. The figures for Brazil and Uruguay include 
the employees of the 50% owned joint operations Veracel and Montes del Plata. 
40
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
72Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80
Sustainability reporting

===== SIDA 73 =====

Key employee related figures Unit 2023 2022 2021
Average number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) 20,822 21,790 23,071
Number of temporary employees 1,882 1,214 990
% of female employees among all employees  25%  25%  24% 
% of female managers among all managers  24%  23%  23% 
Women in the Group Leadership Team 4 out of 11 4 out of 11 5 out of 13
Women in the Board of Directors 4 out of 8 3 out of 9 3 out of 9
Age groups, all employees %1
Up to 29 %  13%  14%  13% 
30-49 %  55%  53%  54% 
50 and over %  33%  33%  33% 
Average number of training hours per employee 
per year 18 21 26
Average number of training hours per production 
worker per year2 22 26 27
Employee turnover %  11%  14%  13% 
Ratio of the annual total compensation for 
the President and CEO to the median 
compensation for all employees 3
25.8 n/a n/a
1  Age groups updated in 2023 due to system change. Historical figures are restated.
2 Due to system change, average number of training hours per production worker for 2023 excludes Sweden. 
3Compensation data includes only base salary. Historical figures not available due to system change.
Female employees’ compensation compared 
to male employees’ compensation1 Unit 2023 2022 2021
China %  100 %  92%  92% 
Finland %  9 7  %  93%  92% 
Poland %  9 9  %  91%  91% 
Sweden %  100 %  100%  99% 
1 Ratios are weighted averages based on gender salary comparisons within each country’s employee categories (career levels).
Stora Enso's lowest wages compared 
to local minimum wages1 Unit 2023 2022 2021
Brazil 1.1 1.1 1.1
China 1.0 1.0 1.0
Estonia 1.6 1.5 1.6
Latvia 1.5 1.7 1.6
Lithuania 1.2 1.2 1.3
Poland 1.1 1.1 1.0
Uruguay 1.5 1.6 1.5
1 Stora Enso’s lowest wages compared to local minimum wages are presented for locations chosen based on an internal assessment 
including any human rights risks, compared to minimum wages set at the national, state or provincial level as applicable. The ratio shows 
how many times larger the Group’s lowest wage is, compared to the local minimum wage. The figures for Brazil and Uruguay include 
the employees of the 50% joint operations in Veracel and Montes del Plata.
Employee distribution and turnover1
China Finland Poland Sweden Group total
Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male
Number of 
employees 980 (41%) 1,420 (59%) 1,120 (21%) 4,140 (79%) 420 (22%) 1,480 (78%) 900 (25%) 2,710 (75%) 18,810
Up to 29 120 240 110 370 60 150 110 360  1 3  %
30–49 850 1,110 570 2,010 270 860 480 1,190  5 5  %
50 and over 20 80 440 1,740 100 480 320 1,170  3 3  %
Number of hires2 30 (33%) 60 (67%) 80 (23%) 270 (77%) 60 (40%) 90 (60%) 90 (30%) 210 (70%) 1,390
Up to 29 10 30 30 90 10 30 30 70  3 4  %
30–49 10 30 40 140 40 50 50 100  5 3  %
50 and over 0 0 10 40 0 10 10 40  1 2  %
Number of leavings3 160 (50%) 160 (50%) 90 (24%) 290 (76%) 60 (29%) 150 (71%) 100 (23%) 340 (77%) 2,200
Up to 29 20 30 10 30 10 20 20 50  1 7  %
30–49 130 110 60 140 20 60 50 120  5 1  %
50 and over 10 20 30 130 30 70 40 160  3 2  %
Employee turnover  1 5  %  1 1  %  7  %  7  %  1 3  %  1 0  %  1 0  %  1 2  %  1 1  %
¹ Figures for the four largest countries in terms of the total number of employees and year-end headcount. Rounded to the nearest 10. Age groups updated in 2023 due to system change.
² Hires: number of permanent employees joining the Company. Excludes hires due to acquisitions. 
³ Leavings: number of permanent employees leaving voluntarily or due to restructuring, retirement, or death. Excludes leavings due to divestments.
41
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
73Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80
Sustainability reporting

===== SIDA 74 =====

Safety
 Accounting principles
Stora Enso reports incidents and accidents using international Occupational Health and Safety (OHSA) 
definitions when reporting Total Recordable Incident (TRI) and Lost-Time Injury (LTI) rates. This allows 
the reported rates to be better aligned with international standards and enables future benchmarking with 
peers and companies in other sectors. The reported TRI and LTI rates show the number of recordable and 
lost-time incidents as per one million hours worked for own employees. The joint operations Veracel and 
Montes del Plata are fully consolidated due to the inherent nature of occupational safety. TRI and LTI rates for 
2023 exclude the De Jong Packaging Group units due to availability of data.
Stora Enso also monitors contractor accidents in separate categories for on-site accidents and logistics 
incidents. Certain administrative functions and sales offices are currently excluded from the Group’s safety 
figures due to data availability related to a relatively small headcount and lower occupational safety risk 
compared to production units. Stora Enso uses the Total Recordable Incident (TRI) rate as its main key 
lagging performance indicator (KPI), as this provides a comprehensive overview of safety performance by 
also including less severe accidents.
Key figures for safety Unit 2023 2022 2021
Total recordable incident (TRI) rate 4.7 5.9 6.2
Fatalities in Stora Enso's premises1 0 3 1
Lost-time injury (LTI) rate 4.0 4.9 5.0
Illness-related absence, % %  3.7%  4.1 %  3.8 %
Number of employees covered by certified 
safety management system 17,720 17,850 16,320
% of all employees %  87%  9 3  %  9 0  %
1 Covers Stora Enso's own and contractor workers in Stora Enso's premises or under Stora Enso's supervision.
Five-year TRI  and LTI trend 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019
Total recordable incident (TRI) rate1 4.7 5.9 6.2 6.1 7.0
Lost-time injury (LTI) rate1 4.0 4.9 5.0 5.1 5.6
1 Stora Enso’s own employees, including joint operations.
Business ethics
 Accounting principles
Stora Enso’s Ethics and Compliance Index, which was introduced in 2022, is calculated as an average of 
five Ethics and Compliance-related questions in ‘Engage’, the annual employee survey. These questions are 
related to the Group’s code of conduct, the Stora Enso Code. The maximum rating is 10. 
The compliance control of the critical business partner review KPI monitors the number of due diligence 
and review processes that have been initiated within the third-party tool between 1 January to 31 December 
each year. The compliance control of the Ethics and Compliance Self-assessment Tool KPI monitors the 
number of units that have been covered by this tool each year. The compliance control of code of conduct 
training, COMPLY training, and data privacy training KPIs all monitor the percentage of active employees 
who have completed the e-learning programme at the end of each year. 
Key figures for business ethics Unit 2023 2022 2021
Ethics and Compliance Index 8.9 8.7 n/a
Compliance control: no. of critical business 
partners reviewed through a third-party tool 63 90 119
Compliance control: no. of teams using 
Compliance Self-Assessment Tool 155 135 149
Code of conduct training completed, 
no. of employees 18,240 19,296 n/a
Code of conduct training completed (31 Dec), 
all employees %  9 4  %  9 2  % n/a
Code of conduct training completed (31 Dec), 
office workers %  9 5  %  9 7  %  9 5  %
Code of conduct training completed (31 Dec), 
production workers %  9 3  %  8 9  % n/a
% of target group employees to complete 
the COMPLY compliance training %  9 4  %  9 7  %  9 9  %
% of office workers to complete 
training on data privacy %  9 3  %  9 8  %  9 6  %
Non-compliance cases Unit 2023 2022 2021
Potential non-compliance cases reported 131 153 117
Investigations of potential non-compliance cases 
closed by ECMC and DC1 163 140 98
of which, identified proven cases leading to 
disciplinary action and/or legal action 30 44 26
No. of closed cases resulting in termination of 
business relationships2 6 17 11
No. of proven closed cases related to 
discrimination, harassment and/or bullying 7 12 11
No. of proven closed cases related to fraud 
and/or corruption 9 13 9
1 Including cases reported in previous years. From October 2023, the Disciplinary Committee (DC) has the sole responsibility of 
the closing of compliance investigations. Previously Ethics and Compliance Management Committee (ECMC).
2 Including cases involving more than one employee being dismissed. 
42
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
74Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80
Sustainability reporting

===== SIDA 75 =====

Breakdown of potential non-compliance cases Unit 2023 2022 2021
Anti-trust 2 3 1
Conflict of interest 6 8 10
Corruption 12 27 18
Fraud 6 9 10
Discrimination, harassment and/or bullying 25 46 46
Working conditions 39 10 11
Health and safety 5 10 5
Other 36 40 16
Total 131 153 117
Human rights
 Accounting principles
The chapter Human rights summarises how human rights are integrated into the Company's business 
activities along the value chain, policies, and processes. The accounting principles for progress on salient 
issues is described in the corresponding sections of the ‘Consolidated sustainability figures’. The Supplier 
Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex) is an ethical trade membership organisation. Audits are counted based on 
the audit date. Stora Enso’s audit cycle is three years.
Key figures for human rights Unit 2023 2022 2021
Number of production units registered in Sedex1 21 26 29
Ratio of production units registered in Sedex %  3 4  %  4 9  %  4 8  %
Ratio of units audited by SMETA within the past 
three years2 %  5 7  %  5 3  % N/A
Ratio of joint operations registered in Sedex %  100 %  100 %  100 %
Ratio of joint operations audited by SMETA within 
the past three years %  100 %  100 %  5 0  %
1 Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex) is a platform where companies share sustainability information with customers on unit level.
2 Sedex Member Ethical Data Audits (SMETA)
Community
 Accounting principles
Unless otherwise stated, Stora Enso’s community investment includes monetary, time, and in-kind donations 
converted to euros from all operations. Employee working time for community projects is converted to euros 
based on country-specific salary averages. 50% joint operations in Brazil and Uruguay are consolidated 
following Stora Enso’s ownership share. The KPI on the share of volunteer work and in-kind contributions 
excludes the 50% joint operations due the nature of community investment projects in these countries, where 
programmes cover wider societal issues with long-term investment needs.
Key figures for community Unit 2023 2022 2021
Community Investment (CI): % of working hours 
and in-kind in the total CI %  3 9  %  4 1  %  4 2  %
Total amount of voluntary Community Investment 
converted to EUR EUR million 1.6 2.0 2.0
Total amount of working hours spent by Stora 
Enso's employees in volunteer work 2,294 3,396 1,432
equivalent of no. of weeks of working time 57 85 36
Voluntary community investment 
by investment area1 Unit 2023 2022 2021
Total in EUR EUR million 1.6 2.0 2.0
Education %  1 5  %  1 3  %  2 0  %
Emergency relief %  6  %  2 3  %  1 1  %
Environment %  4  %  4  %  6  %
Resilient local communities2 %  7 1  %  5 4  %  5 8  %
Other %  4  %  6  %  5  %
1 Total community investment includes cash, working hours, and in-kind as defined in the B4SI framework. Including 50% of joint 
operations Veracel in Brazil and Montes del Plata in Uruguay.
2 Resilient local communities include B4SI framework areas of Economic development, Social welfare, Healthy lifestyle, and Arts and Culture.
Economic value for Stora Enso's 
stakeholders (EUR million) Economic value 2023 2022 2021
Customers Sales  9,396  11,680  10,164 
Suppliers Payments to suppliers  7,016  8,127  6,875 
Capital expenditure  1,125  778  666 
Employees Wages and benefits  1,275  1,315  1,351 
Creditors Interest  181  125  127 
Public sector Income taxes paid1  85  178  136 
Shareholders Dividends2  473  434  237 
1 For more information, see Stora Enso as a taxpayer.
2 As disclosed in the Financials, Statement of changes in equity.
43
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
75Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80
Sustainability reporting

===== SIDA 76 =====

Sustainable sourcing
 Accounting principles
Stora Enso measures the proportion of total supplier spend covered by its Supplier Code of Conduct (SCoC) 
for all categories and divisions. The SCoC applies to all Stora Enso's sourcing categories globally. Joint 
operations, intellectual property rights (IPR), leasing fees, financial trading, government fees such as 
customs, and wood purchases from private individual forest owners are not obliged to accept the SCoC. 
The total supplier spend excludes the above listed items. 
As of 2022, suppliers are required to provide both safety and CO2 emission information. High-risk 
suppliers’ spend and respective audit coverage includes the spend towards suppliers with heightened 
sustainability risks as identified by the Company’s country and category risk assessment.
Key figures for sustainable sourcing Unit 2023 2022 2021
% of supplier spend covered by the Supplier 
Code of Conduct (SCoC) %  9 5  %  9 6  %  9 6  %
No. of suppliers audited through third-party 
sustainability audits1 49 54 70
% of identified high-risk suppliers, by spend, 
covered by third-party sustainability audits %  4 8  %  5 3  %  5 4  %
No. of supplier contract terminated due to 
occupational safety issues 2 0 1
No. of supplier contract not renewed due to 
misconduct related to business ethics 2 5 1
1 Figure for 2022 has been restated  to include the HSEQ (Health, Safety, Environment and Quality) audits. 
44
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
76Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80
Sustainability reporting

===== SIDA 77 =====

Stora Enso as a taxpayer
Stora Enso aims to be transparent with respect to economic value generation. For this purpose, Stora Enso makes 
a voluntary commitment to provide information on the Group’s tax approach and details of the corporate income taxes paid 
by the Group. Beginning in 2023, Stora Enso has adopted the GRI 207 standard as the framework for its tax disclosure. 
This means that the Group describes its tax policy and approach to tax and explains its processes around tax governance, 
controls, and risk management. Moreover, Stora Enso describes how it engages with stakeholders and deals with any 
concerns there may be related to tax. The Group also discloses the corporate income taxes paid and accrued, and other 
financial information according to the reporting requirements of the GRI 207-4 standard on country-by-country information. 
Tax policy 
The Stora Enso Tax Policy addresses the Group’s tax strategy, 
including approach to tax, tax governance, compliance, tax risk 
management and tax authority co-operation. The Tax Policy has 
been approved by the President and CEO of Stora Enso and is 
reviewed annually. This report discusses the principles of 
the Tax Policy. 
Approach to tax
As a responsible and prudent taxpayer, Stora Enso is committed 
to ensuring that the Group observes the letter and the spirit of 
applicable tax laws, rules and regulations, including international 
transfer pricing guidelines and local legislation in all jurisdictions 
where it conducts business activities or has otherwise any tax 
obligation. In addition to legal and regulatory requirements, the tax 
principles comply with Stora Enso’s values to ‘Lead’ and 
‘Do what’s right’.
The strategic priorities of Stora Enso’s tax function are 
confirmed annually by the Group CFO. Integrated business 
partnering and inspired people with the right skills are at the core 
of Stora Enso’s tax strategy. This is the basis for ensuring tax 
compliance with streamlined processes and advanced technology, 
and facilitating an early detection of tax risks, regulation changes, 
and improvement opportunities.
Stora Enso seeks to ensure that the tax strategy is aligned with 
the Group’s business and commercial strategy. Stora Enso only 
undertakes tax planning that is duly aligned to economic activity 
and does not take aggressive tax planning positions. This means 
that all tax decisions are made in response to commercial activity, 
and tax is one of many other factors that are considered when 
making business decisions. Stora Enso has an obligation to 
manage tax costs as part of the Company’s financial responsibility 
to societies and shareholders. Stora Enso may therefore respond 
to tax incentives and exemptions granted by governments on 
reasonable grounds, and currently has operations in countries that 
offer favourable tax treatments, where their location also is 
justified by sound commercial considerations. 
Stora Enso has operations in the following locations that offer 
favourable tax treatments: 
• The joint operation Montes del Plata operates a pulp mill in 
a Special Economic Zone with favourable tax treatment in 
Uruguay. As of 2024 the operations may become subject to 
additional tax in accordance with the minimum tax legislation 
having entered into force in multiple jurisdictions following 
the OECD Pillar Two rules.
• Stora Enso’s two forestry companies in Guangxi, China are 
entitled to exemption from corporate income tax from forestry 
income and value added tax on their sales, and Stora Enso’s 
related industrial company is entitled to reduced corporate 
income tax rate until 2025. In December 2022, Stora Enso 
initiated a sales process for a possible divestment of these 
forestry and consumer board production operations.
• Stora Enso conducts business, mainly consisting of sales 
support services, in the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, 
and Hong Kong. 
• AS Stora Enso Latvija has been granted a corporate income 
tax credit relating to an investment project. The credit was fully 
utilised in 2023 and not available for future years.
45
Stora Enso’s tax strategies are based on 
the Group’s business. Stora Enso only 
undertakes tax planning that is duly aligned 
with economic activity.
Stora Enso follows the GRI 207 standard 
as the model for its tax disclosure.
The EU public Country-by-Country 
Reporting and GRI 207
The EU public Country-by-Country (CbC) Reporting 
Directive, effective from the financial year 2024, will lay 
out similar disclosure requirements regarding group 
companies in the EU countries as the GRI 207. 
However, Stora Enso has chosen to disclose country-
by-country information already for 2023. The voluntary 
disclosure covers all countries of operation, instead of 
only the EU countries.
The financial information in GRI 207 is 
unconsolidated and presents the sum of the legal 
entities’ local IFRS reported balances in each country. 
Group level IFRS and consolidation adjustments, such 
as elimination of Group internal transactions, are 
excluded from the figures reported below. Therefore 
the financial information is different to what is presented 
in the consolidated Financials Statements for 2023. 
For more information about taxes, see note 2.5 Income taxes.
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
77Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 78 =====

Tax governance, control, and risk management 
Stora Enso acts, as part of protecting shareholder value, with integrity in all tax matters. 
The Group’s Tax team, reporting to the Group CFO, works closely with the businesses and other 
internal stakeholders to identify and manage business and compliance tax risks to ensure 
a sustainable yet business feasible platform for operations. In addition to performing the 
mandatory Group level tax disclosure processes, the Tax team consolidates annual and quarterly 
tax reporting describing the Group’s tax position to shareholders and other stakeholders. 
The Group’s Tax team regularly reports key tax matters to the Group Leadership Team and 
the Finance and Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.
Tax affairs are managed under an extensive set of Group policies such as Stora Enso Code, 
Business Practice Policy, Supplier Code of Conduct, and Tax Policy. Stora Enso’s internal 
allocation of responsibilities of tax matters and the engagement of external resources are 
described in the internal tax responsibility guidelines. Internal stakeholders are continuously 
trained on tax-related matters in order to enhance capabilities and improve overall tax 
compliance and quality of tax reporting. Compliance processes are subject to internal controls, 
and tax risks are annually reviewed as part of the Group’s enterprise risk management process. 
The Tax team is involved in business changes already in the planning phase to ensure 
the alignment and appropriate compliance of tax rules and regulations. The Tax team monitors 
changes in tax legislation and regularly reviews tax affairs and risks with stakeholders to ensure 
that Stora Enso can sufficiently identify, assess, and mitigate tax risk. 
In case employees have any concerns about unethical or unlawful behaviour or the Company’s 
integrity, the anonymous Speak Up Hotline can be used to report any suspected cases also 
regarding tax matters. All reported cases will be subject to an established investigation and 
reporting process, with proven cases leading to actions. 
The Group’s tax disclosures are included in the assurance process of the Annual Statements. 
This ‘Stora Enso as a taxpayer’ report is subject to limited assurance.
Stakeholder engagement and concerns related to tax
Stora Enso’s commitment to tax transparency is also reflected in the Group’s relationships with tax 
authorities and governments. To build confidence whenever possible, Stora Enso seeks to work 
positively, proactively and openly with tax authorities on a global basis, utilising transparent 
advance processes in order to minimise potential disputes. Stora Enso also works with government 
representatives, mainly through associations, by providing corporate views and impacts at request 
to aid law-making and implementation. Stora Enso readily responds to investor enquiries, and 
constantly follows the development of tax sustainability and transparency expectations.
Country-by-country reporting of income taxes in 2023: 
How to read the report
The country-by country data is reported as required in the GRI 207-4 standard. However, while 
the reporting required in GRI 207-4 is based on the data in Stora Enso’s consolidated Financial 
Statements, the reporting is unconsolidated and does not fully reconcile with the consolidated 
Financial Statements. The financial information in the CbC report is the sum of the legal entities’ 
local standalone IFRS reported balances in each country. Group level consolidation adjustments, 
such as elimination of group internal transactions, are excluded. Due to this the financial 
information is different than what is presented in the consolidated financial statements for 2023. 
Also, the definitions used in the GRI 207 may differ from the standard definitions used in other 
reporting areas. 
46
Our year 2023 This is Stora Enso Our strategy Our people Shareholders Financials AppendixRemunerationGovernance
78Stora Enso 2023: Sustainability reporting
Sustainability reporting
Sustainability approach,  
governance, and stakeholders 35
Sustainability targets  38
Climate change: emissions 39
Sustainable forestry and biodiversity  41
Circularity  43
Product stewardship 45
Materials, residuals, and waste 46
Energy 47
Water 48
Environmental incidents  50
Employees 51
Safety 53
Business ethics 54
Human rights 56
Community 58
Sustainable sourcing  60
Policies and guidelines  62
Consolidation of  
sustainability statements  63
Sustainability data by unit 64
Consolidated sustainability figures  67
Stora Enso as a taxpayer 77
Assurance Statement  80

===== SIDA 79 =====